The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said Thursday it will not tolerate wrongdoings within the mining industry.
The group made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte warned mining companies that he would “cut off their heads” if they would not rehabilitate the farmlands damaged by irresponsible mining.
CoMP said mining companies had a clear responsibility to manage their impact on the environment, guarantee the full and complete rehabilitation of mined-out areas and ensure that communities get their fair share in the benefits from mining.
“Strict regulation and monitoring by the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau and the Environmental Management Bureau especially of the small-scale mining sector, will be key to ensuring that the environment is adequately protected, and that more trees are planted in mining areas,” said Ronald Recidoro, vice president of CoMP.
“The Chamber of Mines does not condone wrong-doing within the industry. Erring mines must be prosecuted and made accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Recidoro said.