President Duterte has ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to revoke the licenses of mining companies providing explosives to New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
During his regular briefing with Palace reporters in Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. said the President has directed the DENR to revoke the licenses and permits of mining companies violating explosive handling rules or reported to have been supplying explosives to communist groups.
Military and police also found violating laws on explosives will face automatic expulsion, Roque added.
He also said that the directive was issued by the President during the special meeting of the National Security Council Executive Committee he presided that ended at 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
Last November Duterte threatened to shut down mining companies financing the NPA through the payment of revolutionary taxes to the rebels.
“That’s their extortion [targets, the] big companies. All mining companies are paying taxes to the NPA. That’s without exception. Their mining won’t thrive if they’re not giving money,” the President said in his previous speech in Taguig last year.
“We have to decide once and for all. If I go against the NPA, the communists, everybody has to reconfigure their relationship with the NPA because if you continue to support [them] financially, I will close you down,” he added.
Roque said that President Duterte also directed the creation of task force for Mindanao IP (indigenous people) convergence to address the plight of indigenous peoples of Mindanao.
Security measures against threats of violence by terrorists, particularly at ports and terminals, and efforts to secure and develop the Philippine Rise were also discussed during the meeting.