MANILA, May 3 (Reuters) - Philippine lawmakers on Wednesday rejected the appointment of Regina Lopez as environment minister, 10 months into her term in office, confirming an earlier Reuters report.
The Commission on Appointments moved to reject the appointment made by President Rodrigo Duterte who has largely supported Lopez's mining crackdown. Lopez was the second member of Duterte's cabinet dismissed by Congress.
Congressman Ronaldo Zamora earlier told Reuters about the outcome of the vote, which removed Lopez. angered the mining sector after ordering in February the closure of more than half the country's mines and the cancellation of dozens of contracts for undeveloped mines to protect water resources. Last week, she banned open-pit mining.
Cabinet ministers in the Philippines undergo a confirmation hearing, often long after they begin work.