MANILA - Mining companies on Friday said they would ask President Rodrigo Duterte to make a “final decision” on their suspension for alleged violation of environment regulations.

The appeal to the President will be the “first step” for the Chamber of Mines before it questions the move of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources before the courts, said the group’s chairman, Artemio Disini.

“We will also have that approach, to have the President make the final decision and try to get a favorable decision,” Disini told reporters.

Duterte on Thursday declared his support for Lopez’s campaign to enforce environment laws to protect the poor, just hours after she announced that 23 mines would be shuttered and 5 others would be suspended following industry-wide inspections.

Chamber doubts DENR has the funding to be able to implement measures to support mining communities affected by closures. pic.twitter.com/SVDN2aKKxI

— Warren de Guzman (@wddeguzman) February 3, 2017

Disini claimed Lopez did not consult with mining companies before Thursday’s announcement.

The Chamber of Mines also appealed to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to convene the Mineral Industry Coordinating Council, an inter-agency body that he co-chairs, to discuss Lopez’s decision.

The MICC should “look into the basis of the arbitrary mine closure and suspension orders which we believe was undertaken without due process,” Disini said.

“We have the right to know the process involved,” he said, adding mining companies were not furnished copies of the DENR’s findings.