CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Philippine National Police (PNP) in this city has drawn flak for barging last Wednesday into the premises of nongovernment organization Balay Mindanaw without a warrant. Vinas said the PNP regional office ordered the SWAT team in Cagayan de Oro to conduct a search after the Australian Embassy in Manila informed them that an Australian official would visit the NGO office and may need security. Manlupig, however, said the Australian Embassy did not inform the NGO of any visiting official nor did Balay Mindanaw have an event scheduled with any Australian official. “Is Balay Mindanaw now considered a security threat? The search at Balay Mindanaw came after the Philippine Army labeled Oxfam, a global nongovernment organization, as “a front organization” of the New People’s Army and other communist organizations.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 14, 2019 10:58 UTC