Manny Pangilinan weighs in on Gina Lopez as DENR chief

There’s no love lost between them.

Gina Lopez — who heads the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation — has been tapped by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to head the Department of Natural Resources (DENR). Lopez is a known anti-mining advocate.

Upon Lopez’s acceptance of the top post at DENR, officials of mining companies and industry groups were asked for their reaction. Naturally, Philex Mining chairman Manny Pangilinan was among them.

Pangilinan was quoted as saying, “The elephant in the room is Gina Lopez, I apologize for the comparison, but first of all, let me say this, it’s entirely the prerogative of the president to name whoever he wants to name and I respect that he has nominated Gina Lopez to be DENR Secretary. We respect that and so be it.”

He added, “If (Duterte) thinks she is the right person then we respect that. What’s our attitude is that it’s business as usual. We should give her a chance to articulate her policy. It reflects the policy of the president as well.”

“Pangilinan recognized the fact that after such announcement was made, Philex Mining’s shares in the Philippine Stock Exchange dove by more than 12% in just a matter of two days,” reports Madelaine B. Miraflor in Manila Bulletin.

It may be recalled that Pangilinan openly clashed with Lopez during a mining industry stakeholders conference in 2012 (see video).