Maginhawa pantry temporarily suspends ops amid red-tagging fears

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.

The pantry has since reopened, despite condemnation from the Commission on Human Rights and Human Rights Watch, and assurances from Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Other community pantries in Cagayan de Oro and Pandacan, Manila, have also ceased operations due to similar fears of red-tagging.

Senator Risa Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution 705 condemning national government officials for allegedly harassing, red-tagging, and intimidating community pantry organizers.

The resolution urges the Executive Department to ensure the safety and security of community pantry organizers, highlighting that such actions by state agents are undemocratic.

Hontiveros specifically mentioned NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr., who admitted profiling organizers, and Interior Undersecretary Martin Diño's statement requiring permits.

Community pantry founder Ana Patricia Non is hoping President Rodrigo Duterte will order state agents to stop red-tagging and allow welfare initiatives like hers to exist peacefully.

Non emphasized that branding groups and individuals as communists is dangerous, even deadly, and hopes the President will not tolerate the red-tagging against her.