MANILA – Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez testified during the confirmation hearing of Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, where he alleged a lack of due process in an industry-wide mining audit.
Dominguez said he was invited by the “chairman of this committee,” without referring to a specific member of the Commission on Appointments. His presentation and subsequent questioning from legislators lasted roughly two and a half hours.
Even as Dominguez called out Lopez’s “failure” to include all sectors, he denied having a “spat” with his Cabinet colleague.
Dominguez and Lopez co-chair the Mineral Industry Coordinating Committee, which has set a review of Lopez’s decision to shut down or suspend 28 mines.
Dominguez and Lopez co-chair the Mineral Industry Coordinating Committee, which has set a review of Lopez’s decision to shut down or suspend 28 mines.
Lopez asked President Rodrigo Duterte last week to suspend the review for lack of authority but Dominguez told the CA on Tuesday that it was necessary to “make sure that the deficiencies are covered.”
“There was some kind of failure in the discharge of due process,” Dominguez said.
The finance chief said Lopez did not consult various agencies, including the social welfare and labor departments on the closures, which could cost the government P821 million in lost revenues.
Lopez was not invited to Tuesday’s hearing. She defended her actions and faced more than 20 oppositors to her appointment during marathon hearings last week.
Source : http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/14/17/dominguez-cites-mining-audit-failure-as-ca-deliberates-on-lopez