Donors, receivers return to Maginhawa Community Pantry

Receivers and givers  on Tuesday flocked to the reopened Maginhawa Community Pantry in Quezon City, which was closed after its organizer Ana Patricia Non feared for her security amid red-tagging reports.

The pioneering community pantry located in Quezon City halted its operations on Tuesday, after lawmen asked about Non's affiliated groups.

According to Tina Panganiban Perez's report on 24 Oras, Saturnina, who suffered a stroke, walked for more than an hour to receive free goods from the pantry.

Val Vijandre, a fire volunteer, also went to the reopened pantry to give donated fruits and vegetables.

Lawyers look out for Non

Human rights lawyers Neri Colmenares and Evalyn Ursua also visited Non's initiative to give her legal advice amid the profiling and red-tagging against pantry organizers.

Colmenares said they oriented Non on her basic rights and protecting herself from profiling.

"Courteously, of course. But you tell police na hindi ninyo kaya kaming pilitin na mabigyan kayo ng private information," Colmenares said.

Non said lawyers advised her that community pantries should not be forced to close unless there is an existing court order or a closure directive from the mayor.

Just 'observing'

Hermogenes Esperon Jr., meanwhile, vice chairperson of the government's task force on anti-insurgency efforts, claimed that they are just "observing" the community pantry organizers as he also welcomed the initiative.

"We can observe it (community pantry), kung talagang community effort then let's just join hands," he said.

The Philippine National Police earlier said it will investigate the alleged red-tagging of organizers. —Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News