QC Mayor Belmonte ensures safety of community pantry organizers amid 'red-tagging'

The Quezon City government on Tuesday expressed support to the organizers of community pantries amid the alleged red-tagging being conducted by government security officials.

In a statement, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the local government will protect the organizers and beneficiaries of community pantries.

“I would like to personally assure Ms. Ana Patricia Non and other like-minded individuals that the local government of Quezon City fully supports Community Pantries,” she said.

“The city government will therefore ensure that the organizers and beneficiaries of Community Pantries remain safe and unimpeded.”

Non is the organizer of the Maginhawa Community Pantry, which started the recent trend in community pantries that aims to help families whose livelihoods were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Monday, Non said there would be a pause in their operation for the safety of its volunteers in light of the alleged red-tagging.

Belmonte said she already requested Quezon City Police District director  Police Brigadier General Antonio Yarra to conduct an investigation into Non's apprehensions and earlier experiences

Aside from this, Belmonte said she will meet with Station 9 Commander Police Lieutenant Colonel Imelda Reyes to further discuss Non’s security concerns.

According to Belmonte, she reached out to Non and discussed her concerns on Tuesday.

The mayor said that the Task Force Disiplina and barangay leaders have been assisting in maintaining peace and order in the Maginhawa Community Pantry.

She noted that they were deployed at community pantries just to remind the public about observing minimum health standards and to assist in managing possible crowds of people.

“In these difficult times, let us allow kindness and selflessness to prevail,” she said. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News