House probe on ‘profiling, red-tagging’ of community pantry organizers sought

MANILA, Philippines — The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives has called for an investigation on the alleged profiling and red-tagging of community pantry volunteers and organizers.

In a resolution filed Wednesday, the Makabayan bloc said organizers and volunteers of the community pantries “do not deserve to be subjected to harassment and baseless accusations from the government itself that failed to deliver such services to the Filipino people.”

The Makabayan bloc is composed of Bayan Muna Reps. Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, and Eufemia Cullamat; Act Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro; Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas; and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago.

Earlier this week, Ana Patricia Non, organizer of the Maginhawa community pantry, temporarily suspended their operations over “red-tagging” on social media.

One of the screenshots included in Non’s Facebook post showed that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) and Quezon City Police District (QCPD) shared posts saying that community pantries are being used for propaganda of communist groups.

Non likewise shared that three members of the police force asked for her number and her affiliations.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas has denied issuing directives for the police to profile organizers of community pantries. He also ordered the investigation of police officers purportedly involved in the red-tagging of community pantry organizers and volunteers.

Meanwhile, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. said they are just “checking” the situation of community pantries to make sure that organizers do not have any other agenda.

KGA