What Lopez and the DENR are resisting is what they apparently perceive as Dominguez’s attempt to take control of the MICC review, and subsequently scuttle the mine closure decision. The key problem is that Dominguez has demanded P50 million from the DENR budget to fund the MICC review, money that will be used to employ outside experts. The MICC, however, has no procurement authority, so the hiring will be handled by the DoF. Presumably all Dominguez has to do is wait until Lopez is shown the door, and mining can go back to business as usual. Gaming the mining decision review to make sure it doesn’t happen, or if it does, rolls back what Lopez attempted to do, saves the 0.45 percent or so mining contributes to GDP for the present, which is apparently good enough.

Source: Manila Times April 21, 2017 17:03 UTC