Patricia Non tears up recalling grandma's visit to community pantry

Ana Patricia Non, the organizer of the community pantry along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City, turned emotional while recounting how her grandmother dropped by her now famous pantry to tell her she was worried that her granddaughter was being "red-tagged."

“Naawa ako sa lola ko. Hindi ko siya madalas makita kasi pandemic and proud na proud siya pero takot siya sa puwedeng mangyari sa’kin,” Non said in an interview on “The Mangahas Interviews."

“Nanghihinayang ‘yong lola ko pero gusto niyang tulungan ‘yong mga tao lumaban so doon po talaga ako na-touch,” she added.

(My grandmother was proud but at the same time worried about my safety. But she wants people to be empowered so I was really touched.)

Non said her family was very supportive with her food-sharing initiative but can’t help but feel scared for her and their safety after she was allegedly profiled and linked to the communist movement.

Non admitted she too was worried for her family’s safety.

On Tuesday, Non announced the temporary closure of the community pantry after the initiative was supposedly profiled and red-tagged by authorities. It resumed operations Wednesday.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) posted graphics on its Facebook page apparently linking community pantry initiatives to the communist movement.

NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade, Jr. on Tuesday denied red-tagging individuals, but admitted they are checking out the background of organizers of community pantries.

The QCPD, for its part, has since apologized for its post.

On Wednesday, anti-insurgency task force spokesperson Lorraine Badoy also accused Non of being a member of underground mass organization Artista at Manunulat ng Sambayanan (ARMAS).

Non described Badoy's post as “fake news.”

She said she is mulling legal action against her accusers who claimed that she was part of the communist movement. -MDM, GMA News