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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Philippine lawmakers dump green minister

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Manila: Philippine Environment Secretary Regina Lopez was sacked on Wednesday when lawmakers rejected her appointment, in a big victory for the mining industry which she had accused of corruption and abuse.


Lopez had sent shockwaves through the industry during her 10 months as environment chief, seeking to shut down roughly two-thirds of the nation’s existing mines and banning any new open-pit operations.


However, despite the strong support of President Rodrigo Duterte who had threatened to shut down the mining industry completely, a congressional body rejected Lopez’s appointment. “If you want to be confirmed, don’t go against big business!” an angry Lopez shouted during a long press conference after the ruling. With the Philippines being the world’s biggest supplier of nickel ore and a major source of copper, Lopez’s campaign had impacted global commodity prices.


Lopez had sought to shut down 28 of the nation’s 40 mines and cancel the contracts of dozens of others.


Last week she also announced the ban on open-pit mining, which would have sounded the death knell for one of the world’s biggest planned copper projects in the south of the country.


Mining Inc had run a high-profile campaign to have the Commission on Appointments reject her, arguing she was jeopardising the lives of 1.2 million people who were dependent on the industry. — AFP


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