Philippines president repeats desire to “close all mining” after landslides

Reuters | September 17, 2018 | 9:55 am Asia

Landslides in Ilocos Norte Philippines (Image courtesy of GNDR on Flickr)

MANILA, Sept 17 (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday repeated his desire to shut all mines in the country following deadly landslides that some government officials and large miners said have been exacerbated by illegal small-scale mining.

“If I were to try to do my thing I will close all mining in the Philippines,” Duterte said, presiding over a televised meeting of the government’s disaster response team two days after a powerful typhoon struck.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu earlier on Monday ordered all small-scale mining stopped in the Cordillera region, where landslides killed 24 people.

(Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Edmund Blair)