By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has been reactivated in Negros Occidental, with Police Lt. Abegael Donasco designated as the point person.

The appointment of Donasco came after a January 18 virtual meeting which was presided over by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco and newly-promoted Police Brigadier Gen. Roderick Alba, chief of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Public Information Office.

Egco is also the executive director of the PTFoMS.

“The event was also attended by the PIOs of all police regional offices, provincial police offices as well as from city and municipal police stations. The meeting was intended to reorient the PIOs of their tasks aligned to the PTFoMS as point persons,” Donasco said.

Based on Administrative Order No. 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.

Donasco pointed out 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 local PTFoMS.

One of the functions of PTFoMS as the point person is to receive and monitor reports on media workers in danger and to oversee and monitor media related violence.

Donasco said she is open to receive any reports of threat to life, liberty and security of media practitioners for verification./DGB, WDJ