Duterte to review mine closures
MANIAL -- President Rodrigo Duterte is eyeing to review the decision of Environment Secretary Gina Lopez to shut down the operations of 23 mining companies in the country.
Duterte made the remark in a speech delivered at a dinner with Philippine Military Academy Class 1967 in Baguio City on Saturday night.
The President said the possible loss of profit from the mining companies is worth looking into.
“We get something like P70 billion a year out of the mining operations in the entire Philippines. So that’s what we have to also take into consideration,” Duterte said.
“I will see. If it’s wrong, then, there’s nothing I can do,” he added.
Duterte, during his visit to Surigao City last February 12, had thrown full support behind Lopez and said that he would leave to her the fate of the erring mining companies.
“There is nothing that I can do if Gina [Lopez] closes down mining companies. There is nothing I can do,” the Chief Executive said.
Despite criticisms she earned for closing the mining firms, Lopez also decided to cancel the 75 mining contracts located in watersheds.
As Environment Secretary, Lopez pledged to crack down on illegal mining.
“I’m not against the mining industry but I am against suffering. It is not right that people make a lot of money with detriment of the community. It’s not right. It’s against the mining law. It’s against the Constitution,” she said. (SunStar Philippines)