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President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an administrative order creating a task force to ensure life, liberty and security of the members of the media, a spokesman said Thursday.

The order said the Committee to Protect Journalists reported the Philippines ranks third in the world in terms of journalists killed in the line of duty.

It also cited the Human Rights Watch 2014 World Report, saying the Philippines remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, and killings and enforces disappearances remain a serious problem in the Philippines and rarely result in a successful prosecution and punishment of the perpetrator.

AO No. 1 signed on October 11 was apparently a rehash of AO No. 35, which former President Benigno Aquino III issued on November 22, 2012, on the eve the third year anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre where 58 people, 32 of them were journalists, were killed allegedly perpetrated by the Ampatuan clan.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said the Presidential Task Force on Violence Against Media Workers "shall have the mandate of ensuring a safe environment for media workers."

The AO acknowledged that the "continuing attack on media workers is not only erosive of press freedom and free expression but also impedes the flow of information in a community.

Asked if threats being hurled by Duterte supporters online against the media could be covered by the AO, Andanar said, "if you are threatened online or on the ground, it's still a threat," which could be covered by the order.

Andanar said affected journalists can go to the Presidential Task Force if they receive threats. But he said more discussions will be done and implementing rules and regulations will be done as soon as possible.

Similar to Aquino's AO, Duterte's order covers unsolved cases, cases under investigation, under preliminary investigation, under trial, and under appeal.

Andanar said the Maguindanao massacre would be among those covered by the AO.

Almost seven years after the Maguindanao massacre, the cases have remained with the trial court. One of the main suspects, former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. passed away while in detention.

Andanar said for the first 30 days, the task force will conduct an inventory of all cases of violence against media workers perpetrated by the state and non-state forces alike, from all government sources.

"In determining which cases are to be included in the inventory, the Presidential Task Force shall draw up guidelines for the consideration of doubtful cases," the AO said.

After an inventory, the task force shall prioritize the unsolved cases for action, and assign special investigation teams to conduct further investigation on these cases for possible identification of the perpetrators.

Six months from its creation, and every six months thereafter, the task force shall submit a report to the President. The task force is headed by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. Celerina Monte/DMS