April 26, 2021
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. issued a gag order against 2 spokespersons of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for them not to give statements related to community pantries.
NTF-ELCAC spokespersons Lt. General Antonio Parlade Jr. and Lorraine Badoy received criticisms for allegedly red-tagging or linking people behind community pantries to communist rebels.
“Lest it be misunderstood, they will desist (from) making statements on community pantries,” said Esperon, the vice-chair of NTF-ELCAC.
Recently, the social media page of the NTF-ELCAC and Quezon City Police District (QCPD) posted an accusation that the organizer of Maginhawa Community Pantry, Ana Patricia Non, was a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.
Published April 22, 2021 1:54pm The People s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) of Quezon City has formally sought explanation from city police chief Police Brigadier General Antonio Yarra regarding the alleged red-tagging of Maginhawa Community Pantry organizers and volunteers. In a letter dated April 20, PLEB also asks Yarra to explain the use of the Quezon City Police District s Facebook page for matters which appear to perpetuate red-tagging. It is beyond comprehension why allegedly certain members of our PNP approached them to ask for the organizer s cellphone number and her affiliations, said lawyer Rafael Calinisan, PLEB executive officer, in a statement. Yarra has already apologized to the organizer of the Maginhawa Community Pantry over a social media post supposedly red-tagging the volunteers.
Published April 22, 2021, 1:36 PM
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has “failed to respond properly and adequately” to the letter sent by the People’s Law Enforcement Board’s (PLEB), the body that is currently investigating the police district’s alleged red-tagging.
This was according to Lawyer Rafael Calinisan, PLEB executive officer, who also said he has “been waiting for reply” from the QCPD to his text message and letter, but as of Thursday, there are still no replies from them yet.
“I’m actually bothered that I’m not getting any reply when this is a matter of significant importance,” Calinisan told Manila Bulletin in a Viber call.
Philippines 19 Apr 2021
Two women sit idly by at the spot of the original community pantry on Maginhawa Street in Quezon City after small business owner Ana Patricia Non, who ignited the food aid movement, announced a “pause” on April 19. - SCREENSHOT FROM NTF-ELCAC FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): Malacañang on Tuesday (April 20) said the government’s anticommunist task force should leave the community pantries alone after the agency linked the citizens’ movement to the insurgency, forcing the young woman who started it to temporarily shut down her aid station for the safety of volunteer workers.
President Rodrigo Duterte backs these citizens’ initiatives to provide food aid to the needy who are struggling to survive the pandemic which had crippled the economy, according to his spokesperson Harry Roque.
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