(Eagle News) — Malacanang has intervened in the closure and suspension orders on 28 mining companies which had earlier been issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, asking that the mining firms be first given the chance to give their side.
President Duterte has directed that due process first be observed against the supposedly erring mining firms, by giving them the opportunity to present their side and to dispute audit findings of the DENR.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the Department of Finance would have further discussions with the DENR.
Environment Secretary Gina Lopez earlier ordered the closure of 23 metallic mines and suspended five others for serious environmental violations.
“The President and his Cabinet collectively decided to observe due process with regard to the mining issue,” Abella said in a statement.
“This means companies affected by mining closures for violations of environmental laws and regulations will be given the opportunity to respond to or dispute the audit, or make the necessary remedies to ensure compliance with government standards,” he added.
Suspended mining firms would be given the opportunity to present their side and to dispute the audit findings of the environment department, Malacañang said Wednesday.
The DOF in a statement said this move by Malacanang was backed by the whole cabinet.
“Members of the Cabinet have expressed their full support behind President Duterte’s decision to observe due process before implementing a directive of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to shut down or suspend 28 mining sites across the country,” the department said in a statement on Thursday.
The finance department said that the DENR’s move had “triggered outrage in communities hosting mining sites, as some 195,000 direct and indirect workers and their families, or a total of some 1.2 million people, would be adversely affected by the closure and suspensions of the mine sites”
Environment Secretary Lopez has already decided to release the audit results of the 23 closed and five suspended large-scale mining firms.
In a statement, Lopez said all suspension and cancellation orders for the 28 mining companies were signed and will be released Wednesday. She also released to the mining industry the committee recommendations submitted to her by the technical committee.
According to the DOF, the directive of the DENR to shut down or suspend the operation of the 28 mining companies in the country will cost the affected local government units (LGUs) in 10 provinces over P650 million yearly in foregone revenue.
The mining firms which were slapped with closure orders were BenguetCorp Nickel Mines Inc., Eramen Minerals Inc., Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. and LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc., all in Zambales province. These were because of reported siltation of rivers, destruction of a functional watershed and illegal tree-cutting.
Also ordered closed were Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp., Emir Minerals Corp. and TechIron Mineral Resources Inc. in Homonhon because of alleged siltation of coastal waters and destruction of functional watershed; and AAMPHIL Natural Resources Exploration, Kromico Inc., SinoSteel Philippines H.Y. Mining Corp., Oriental Synergy Mining Corp., Wellex Mining Corp., Libjo Mining Corp., Oriental Vision Mining Phils. Corp., in Dinagat Islands mainly for siltation of coastal waters.
ADNAMA Mining Resources Corp., Claver Mineral Development Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp., CTP Construction and Mining Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corp., Marcventures Mining and Development Corp., and Hinatuan Mining Corp. in Surigao del Norte were also closed because of siltation of coastal waters and mining in functional watersheds.
The five mining companies that were suspended were Berong Nickel Corp., OceanaGold Phils., Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corp., Citinickel Mines and Development Corp. and Strong Built Mining Development Corp.
The DENR also suspended Benguet Corp. in Itogon, Benguet and Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp. in Bulacan
