DENR chief defends new mining directive, claims BusinessWorld reporter was ‘bought’

ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY Regina Paz L. Lopez on Thursday sought to defend an order to create a “rehab fund” for farmers “disadvantaged” by mining. In the process of defending the scheme, however, Ms. Lopez lost her composure and suggested that reporters covering the matter had been “bought”. Ms. Lopez further told

BusinessWorld reporter Janina C. Lim: “You’re just a fucking employee” as the latter interviewed her, but later in the day said she “would have much rather preferred that words said… be left in the privacy for which it is meant.”

ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY Regina Paz “Gina” L. Lopez on Thursday sought to defend a directive to create a “rehab fund” for farmers “disadvantaged” by mining. In the process of defending the proposal — which is being questioned by miners — however, Ms. Lopez lost her composure and suggested that reporters covering the matter had been “bought.”

The Environment secretary told BusinessWorld reporter Janina C. Lim: “You’re just a fucking employee.” Ms. Lopez blurted out the line as she spoke with Ms. Lim and another reporter on the landing of the second floor of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in Quezon City. Ms. Lopez’s remark was directed against Business

World’s Janina C. Lim, who was following her, together with another reporter from a different publication.

The exchange between the official and the reporter took place minutes after several DENR employees supposedly called off a rally against the secretary that was set for nine that morning. Just a few days before the incident, Ms. Lim filed an exclusive report, saying that the Civil Service Commission rejected the temporary appointment of Mr. Philip G. Camarra, who was appointed by Ms. Lopez as DENR undersecretary.

The incident on Thursday morning began when Ms. Lim, who has been covering the environment and agriculture beats since January last year, asked the secretary whether she was attending a meeting of the Mining Industry Coordinating Council that afternoon at the National Economic and Development Authority office in Pasig City.

As indicated by the audio recording, Ms. Lopez then began to be testy, asking both reporters whether they knew that mining “disadvantaged” farmlands.

“When you mine, you disadvantage farmlands, you understand? You understand?” Ms. Lopez can be heard saying in the recording. “Are you listening? Like for example in Zambales, there are 2.6 million tons of stockpile… All I’m asking is that they give P2 million for every farmer for every farmland that’s out of the rehab zone. Who’s going to take care of the farmers? What’s wrong with that?” —