Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corp. said their mining operations should not be suspended as it passed the audit by the environment department, a company official explained Friday.

Bryan Yap, president and chief operating officer of Lepanto, said they have not received any official communication (from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources) about a suspension.

“Second, there is no reason to suspend our operation. We passed the audit of all mines ordered by the DENR, which on our case was completed August 14, 2016.”

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez recommended the suspension of 20 mining firms, including Lepanto, following a nationwide audit of mines.

The mining audit said violations of Lepanto and Benguet were siltation, dust, no tree-cutting permits, and unsystematic mining methods.

The 20 firms were given seven days to reply when they receive the DENR order after it was announced late September.

Yap said they “have been bedevilled with numerous inquiries and expressions of concern from numerous stakeholders on the status of operations.”

“This situation constraints us to make this explanatory report to these stakeholders namely our worried employees, our communities, our stockholders and investors, our retirees, our partners and partner banks and our service and goods providers,” Yap said. DMS