Lopez adamant on erring mining firms’ shutdown

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez is not keen on filing criminal complaints against mining companies implicated in the destruction of the environment.

Lopez, a known environmentalist even before joining government, prefers to pursue the closure of 23 mining operations and suspension of five others for violating the country’s mining and environment laws for now.

“I don’t want to fight them. I know many of them. I don’t want to fight with anyone,” Lopez said in a media interview at the Palace last Thursday when asked if criminal charges will also be filed against the erring mining firms.

She said the mine closure orders, following an environmental audit of the industry were based on “truth, service and the common good.”

“If I continue to say it’s okay to operate there, like especially in the watershed, sino madidismaya? Ang komunidad,” she added.

Lopez earlier stood firmly behind her decision to close down several mining operations, most of which located in watersheds. She insisted that audit was fair and lawful, contrary to allegations of mining companies that they were deprived of due process.

Lopez said she is determined to do her job, stop the “rape” of the country’s environment by irresponsible miners, and crack down on government executives involved in irregularities.

“I wont cop out. I’ll stay as long as I feel I can make a difference,” she said in a Palace news conference.

“When our resources are raped and taken advantage of and goes out of the country and goes to a few who are already very rich anyway, then isn’t that social injustice? So that’s what we’re all about,” she added.

Lopez also acknowledged that politicians have “mining links” that allowed the industry to flourish in the country. She said “mining money” even funded the campaigns of some politicians.