A government soldier frisks a resident who evacuated his home in Sarimanok village, Marawi City, Philippines June 1, 2017, during an ongoing assault of government troops on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of the city. Romeo Ranoco, Reuters

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has formally ordered the military to respect Constitutional rights and recognize the role of the media following his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

In his General Order No. 1 released by Malacañang Thursday, Duterte, speaking as the commander-in-chief of the military, stressed that “the Constitutional rights of the Filipino people shall be respected and protected at all times.”

The order stated that the Commission on Human Rights was mandated to “zealously exercise its mandate under the 1987 Constitution, and to aid the Executive in ensuring the continued protection of the constitutional and human rights of all citizens.”

The order also highlighted the role of the media in “ensuring the timely dissemination of true and correct information to the public.”

READ: Palace releases General Order no. 1 on Martial Law @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/8IZY9BEpAt — Dharel Placido (@dgplacido) June 1, 2017

“Media practitioners are therefore requested to exercise prudence in the performance of their duties so as not to compromise the security and safety of the Armed Forces and law enforcement personnel,” the order read.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday last week placed Mindanao under martial rule following clashes between state forces and local terrorist group Maute.

He also suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus (show the body), which will allow state forces to arrest anyone caught committing rebellion or invasion.

The order noted that during the suspension of the privilege of the writ, “any person arrested or detained… shall be judicially charged within three days, otherwise he shall be released.”

Violence erupted in the city after government troops attempted to arrest top Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon. The terror leader, considered as the Islamic State’s point man in Southeast Asia, managed to evade arrest but Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Hapilon remains in the city.

The political opposition and human rights groups have expressed concerns over Duterte’s declaration, saying the alleged human rights violations committed under the government’s war on drugs may become more widespread.

The President has vowed that there will be no abuses under the martial rule, even as he earlier said its implementation will be no different to how the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos implemented it during his reign.