BusinessWorld Online
Lawyers add voice of support to community pantries
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) supports community pantries, emphasizing that these initiatives should be replicated and supported rather than being subjected to profiling or red-tagging by authorities.
IBP President Domingo Cayosa stated that there is no law violated when citizens help the hungry and the needy during the pandemic, and these efforts deserve praise, not scrutiny.
Cayosa's statement comes in response to reports of police profiling and red-tagging of community pantry organizers in some areas of Metro Manila.
The Philippine National Police has denied issuing a directive for profiling, although the government's anti-insurgency task force acknowledged conducting background checks.
Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government clarified that permits are not required for setting up community pantries, and law enforcement should only intervene if health protocols or laws are violated.
Topics in this story
Explore more stories about these topics.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra stated that community pantries should be free from harassment and unnecessary intervention by law enforcers.
Read more →
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stated that community pantries are an expression of the Filipino spirit and bayanihan, not a condemnation of the government's pandemic response.
+3
Read more →
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Diño initially stated that organizers of community pantries must seek permission from local government units (LGUs) to ensure compliance with health protocols and crowd control.
+2
Read more →
The pioneering Maginhawa Community Pantry temporarily suspended operations due to alleged red-tagging by the Quezon City Police District and the National Task Force to ELCAC, leading to safety concerns for its organizers and volunteers.
Read more →
The Eastern Police District (EPD) has established its own community pantry to provide essential goods to those severely affected by the quarantine measures.
Read more →