MANILA, Philippines — Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya “seriously doubts” reports of police profiling of community pantry organizers as he sought evidence to prove that such incidents indeed took place.
In an interview with INQUIRER.net’s INQside Look, Malaya stressed that there were no orders coming from
DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Debold Sinas for police officers to profile organizers of community pantries.
“It is very clear from both the statement of Secretary Año and the statement of General Debold Sinas that there has been no order or directive to conduct any profiling which is why I seriously doubt these reports,” Malaya said.
“I may be wrong, but for me to be wrong, evidence must be presented to me or to the DILG that indeed profiling was done,” he added.
Nonetheless, Malaya assured that those responsible for the profiling would be held accountable should their actions be proven.
“If profiling was done, we can assure the public that we would investigate and hold accountable any and all members of the PNP who are in engaged in profiling because these are not authorized by the DILG or by the PNP leadership,” Malaya said.
Ana Patricia Non, who organized the community pantry on Maginhawa Street in Quezon City, earlier claimed that three members of the police force had asked for her number and affiliations.
Netizens called out police officers allegedly profiling organizers of the community pantry projects in the city of Manila.
Photos on social media suggest that policemen showed up at some community pantries in Manila and supposedly subjected some organizers to many questions, including who is in charge of the initiative and whether they are affiliated with certain organizations.
The policemen also purportedly handed out forms that the organizers need to fill out with their personal details.
Sinas has earlier denied issuing orders for the police to profile organizers of community pantries.