MANILA - Outgoing Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said Thursday she was willing to serve as President Rodrigo Duterte's assistant, but discounted running for public office.

Lopez, who riled the mining industry with her crackdown on alleged destructive practices, was rejected by the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday.

In interviews with DZMM and ANC, Lopez reiterated that only Duterte had the guts to fight business interests in the environment department.

"Iyan ang gusto ko! Even as usec, alalay. You can't protect our natural resources if you don't have some kind of tapang e and integridad na hindi ka pwedeng mabili," she said.

(That's what I want, to serve even as a usec, an aide. You can't protect our natural resources if you don't have some kind of courage and integrity that will not allow you to be bought.)

• Lopez: Only Duterte can fight business interest in DENR

Lopez had ordered 28 mines closed or suspended, threatened to cancel 75 contracts and banned new open pit mines during her 10 months in office.

Asked if she was willing to run for Senator or any public office, Lopez said: "I don't think so."

"Lawyering and laws is not my cup of tea. I’ll get totally bored," she said.

Lopez however acknowledged the public's support for her, especially on social media.

"I love the Filipino. What this whole foray has brought me into? Feeling. I feel energy. Feeling the pulse of the Filipino, the heart. It’s unbelievable," she said.

Lopez recalled a conversation she had with Duterte during the campaign, where she found out for herself, how the then candidate was "very fearless and very strong."

"I was showing him pictures and we saw how people were suffering, I don't think he was serious ha," she said.

Duterte then joked, according to Lopez, "Gusto mo papatayain ko sila? I looked at him I said sir mahal na mahal kita."

(Do you want me to kill them? I looked at him and said, Sir, I really love you."

"It was just the fervor of, it was indicative of his love for people and his temperament to say, if this happens," she said.

Lopez said "business interest" led lawmakers to reject her appointment, noting that fiercest critics of her appointment were backed by mining firms during the last May elections.

"It's business, it's clearly business. Even sa questioning sa hearing," she said.