DENR to follow Duterte’s decision not to lift ban on open-pit mining

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday said it would defer to President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to reject the recommendation of the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) to lift the ban on open-pit mining.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said they "will always be deferring to the pronouncement and directions of the President," despite the recommendation of the MICC.

Last month, the MICC recommended lifting the ban on open-pit mining, a policy implemented by then-Environment Secretary Gina Lopez which was supported by Duterte.

"So even there is a recommendation from the DENR, even if there is a recommendations from the MICC, but the President is still the president, we will be supporting whatever be the pronouncement of the President, whatever the policy direction of the President," he said.

"I think every government agency should comply with the policy directive given by the President," he added.

The MICC is co-chaired by Cimatu and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

The MICC expects the preliminary results on the review of the first batch of 26 mines ordered either closed or suspended by Lopez in January next year and the final report by March.

Cimatu earlier said that he was hopeful that the ban on open-pit mining will be lifted by the end of year but Duterte had pronounced that the ban will stay despite MICC's recommendation.

DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Atty. Jonas Leones said that they are still in the process of reviewing mining audit reports.

"Ang ginawa natin sa mining based doon sa audit, we are still reviewing yung mga audit reports na ginawa natin, we are still at that stage kasi very complicated kasi maraming issues na kailangan diyan, may mga issues na nire-raise ang mga mining industries, may mga arguments na hinihingi yung ating government as a regulator so ito yung binabalance ni Secretary," Leones told reporters in an interview.

"He doesn't want to do it in haste so ang gusto niya sigurado siya when he issues an order dapat 'yon may solid ground, may basis, so nandon tayo sa stage na 'yon. I think the DENR will be doing it's best to facilitate and fast track everything so that we will have an intelligent decision on this matter," he added. — MDM, GMA News