"ENVIRONMENT Secretary Regina Lopez gave her family owned company an environmental compliance certificate to operate a geothermal power plant on a 14.03-hectare mountain in Kananga, Leyte in January while shutting down or suspending the operations of competitors, highlighting conflicts of interest that dog her appointment, mining officials said Sunday."
"“The Lopez family’s many involvements in the energy sector highlight the glaring conflict of interest: How will she resolve the environmental catastrophes that involve her family’s energy business, such as the 2010 FPIC pipeline leak that effectively ruined the West Tower Condominium?” the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said in a statement."
"These conflicts of interest and accusations of bias are likely to hound Lopez when she comes up for confirmation before the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday, March 1."
