Gina Lopez Rejected as DENR Secretary by CA (Commission on Appointments)

A panel of the Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected on Wednesday the appointment of controversial Environment Secretary Gina Lopez.

The decision of the CA’s committee on environment and natural resources was reached in an executive session held at
the Senate.

The committee presented its recommendation to the CA plenary, which will vote whether to adopt or reject it.

Lopez is the second presidential appointee to be rejected by the CA – next to former Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay.

Lopez was earlier bypassed by the CA, but President Rodrigo Duterte reappointed her.

Lopez’s order in February to close 23 mines and suspend the operations of five others did not sit well with miners and some government officials who accuse the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of not following due process in its audit.

At least three senators had openly said they would vote for Lopez— Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senators Manny Pacquiao and Joseph Victir “JV” Ejercito.

‘It’s not often you find somebody who has that courage to go against the giant mining firms, the tycoons of the mining industry. So whatever they said about her (Lopez), let’s not miss this opportunity pass with somebody who would really implement ‘yung (the) mining law, without fear or favor,” Ejercito said before the executive session.

But Lopez was faced with strong opposition and criticisms after she ordered the closure of 23 mines and the suspension of five others.