THE Presidential Task Force on Media Security has been reactivated in the province with Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, spokesperson of Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Nocppo), designated as the point person.
The appointment of Donasco came after a virtual meeting was held on January 18, which was presided by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco and newly-promoted Police Brigadier General Roderick Alba, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office.
Egco is also the executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security.
Attended by the information officers of all the Police Regional Office, Provincial Police Office, as well as from city and municipal police stations, the meeting was intended to reorient the PIOs of their tasks aligned to the task force as point persons, Donasco said.
Based on the Administrative Order 1 Series of 2016, which was issued and signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, a Presidential Task Force is created to safeguard the right to life, liberty and security of the members of the media.
Given the inherent risks and hazards of their jobs, plus the fact that the risk further increases during the election period, the PNP, in a proactive measure, reactivated the local task force, Donasco said.
One of the functions of the point person is to receive and monitor reports on media workers in danger and oversee and monitor media related violence.
Donasco said she is open to receiving any reports of threat to life, liberty and security of media practitioners for verification.