her confirmation, giving her more time to press her case on mine closures.
Environment
and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez is facing a heated hearing to have
her position confirmed by lawmakers after ordering the closure of more than
half of the country's mines for environmental infringements.
"The
president said he has confidence in me and he would just reappoint (me),"
Lopez told reporters, during a break at her hearing.
In the
Philippines, confirmation hearings can take place long after ministers start
work. On Wednesday, the Commission on Appointments unanimously decided not to
approve Perfecto Yasay as foreign minister, the first member of Duterte's
cabinet to be rejected by the panel.
The
congressional panel is hearing from those opposed to Lopez's confirmation and
can defer a vote to a later date. Congress will go on recess from March 18, but
Lopez is due to leave the country on Friday. Sessions will not resume until
May.
If a vote is
deferred Duterte could appoint someone else to the role, but Lopez said she
would be reappointed.
Her decision
to shut or suspend 28 of the 41 operating mines in the world's top nickel ore
exporter has raised concerns of supply disruptions and boosted nickel prices.
A committed
environmentalist, Lopez defended her actions before lawmakers, arguing that she
was trying to protect the functions of watersheds where many of the mines are
located.
She noted that
some of the 13 mines that passed the environment agency's months-long review
were also in watershed zones, but were allowed to stay open as they are not
having a negative environmental impact.
Mines in
watershed areas that were ordered shut could seek reconsideration and she would
look at such cases.
"I'm not
going to do anything just to get appointed," she said. "I am not
going to sacrifice my principles just to get appointed."
A mining
industry group has said that the mine closures would affect 1.2 million people
that depend on the sector for their livelihood.
"(Lopez's)
extreme ideology and environmental fanaticism will only cause a mess that will
hurt many and benefit no one," Ronald Recidoro, lawyer from the Chamber of
Mines of the Philippines told the hearing. (For a graphic on Philippine mine
closures, click tmsnrt.rs/2kCftpe)
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