The National Privacy Commission has cautioned the Philippine National Police (PNP) over its profiling activities on organizers of “community pantries”.

Privacy Commissioner Raymund Enriquez Liboro said the PNP must do its data collection “fairly and lawfully with respect to the rights of a data subject.”

“Today, we call on the attention of the PNP Data Protection Office to look into these reports and take appropriate measures to prevent any doings of its personnel on the ground that could potentially harm and violate rights,” Liboro said in a statement.

Liboro said data collection must be transparent and have a legitimate purpose.

The Maginhawa community pantry, led by Ana Patricia Non, was forced to temporarily halt its operations on Tuesday.

Non on Tuesday decried attempts to red-bait her and other community pantries.

“Ang hinihingi ko lang po ay unity. Huwag nating patayin itong pagtulong-tulong nating mga Pilipino kasi maraming natutulungan,” Non said in a news conference.

She added that the community pantry, which started last April 14, would resume operations on April 21 even with the threat of red-baiting. Arvee Christine R. Biscocho