MANILA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The Philippine mining minister's decision to close over half of the country's mines and suspend others is "illegal and unfair," and jeopardises an industry that has paid a large amount in taxes and fees to the government, the country's mining industry body said on Monday.
"She violated due process - which is an inherent part of the rule of law - and did not give proper notice by consistently refusing to release the results of the audit to the affected parties," the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said in a statement.
A team that reviewed an audit of Philippine mines recommended suspension of operations and payment of fines for environmental violations, rather than the closure of 23 mines ordered by the minister overseeing the process, two people with knowledge of the matter said.