Solons on CA’s rejection of Lopez: Sad day for the environment
A sad day for the environment.
Lawmakers on Wednesday put it this way as they expressed disappointment at the Commission on Appointments’ (CA) rejection of Gina Lopez as environment secretary.
Lopez has received the backing even of militant lawmakers for her stance against illegal mining that was destructive to the environment.
“It is a sad day for the environment and for the Filipino people, who earnestly believed in Gina Lopez as a catalyst for change,” Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said in a statement.
READ: CA rejects Gina Lopez’ appointment
Villarin lamented the CA’s decision given the dejected secretary’s fight against illegal mining only to be rejected due to mining interests in Congress. The Committee on Appointments is comprised of lawmakers from both Houses of Congress.
“For the past few months, we saw her unparalleled passion, commitment, and will to do what she thought was right, only to be downtrodden by vested business interests that pervade from within the rotten core of this government,” Villarin said.
Villarin dared President Rodrigo Duterte to be “true to his word” and reverse the CA’s decision and “rally behind Lopez.”
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said the rejection of the appointment of Lopez, who has led a crackdown of errant mining firms, is a “blow in the fight against the plunder of our natural resources and protection of our environment.”
Zarate said he hopes Duterte would appoint a successor who would “approximate if not exceed Sec.Gina’s ardent advocacy for the environment and no nonsense fight against destructive mining and corporate greed.”
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao called for “vigilance” against the reversal of Lopez’s pro-people mining policy.
“With Lopez’ rejection, we raise the alarm for vigilance against the reversal of her pro-people decisions on mining operations that gravely affected communities of indigenous people, farmers, fisherfolk and other sectors,” Casilao said.
Casilao urged Lopez’s replacement to continue Lopez’s policy and “uphold the interest and welfare of the people.”
Casilao also urged Lopez’s successor “not succumb to the pressure and temptation of profitable but destructive mining operations usually owned and controlled by foreign investors and their local comprador partners.”
Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque said Duterte’s Cabinet lost a staunch environment protector.
“We lost a staunch protector of the environment in government. I look forward to seeing Lopez lead civil society in safeguarding the nation’s environment and natural resources,” Roque said.
Before Lopez was rejected by the CA, President Duterte had reappointed Lopez when the latter was bypassed before Congress went on a six-week break last March 15. JE
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