On May 8, a spokesman for the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that the president had nominated former chief of staff and ambassador of the former Armed Forces, Roy Cimatu, as the new Minister of the Environment.

Regina Lopez, the current environmental minister of the Philippines, was rejected by the Appointment Commission last week to continue her appointment. In her ten months tenure, she took drastic measures against the Philippine mining industry. Lopez had ordered the closure of more than half of the nickel mines in the Philippines, however Philippines is the world's top nickel supplier. In February this year, she ordered the 41 operating mines in the 22 of the permanent closure, and canceled the mine to be developed mining contract. In addition, she also banned open pit mining.

"We are confident that Roy Cimatu, as Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, will faithfully serve the national interests and the people," Dutttter spokesman said in a statement.

"Let us end all speculation," Duttel said in announcing the appointment of Roy Cimatu.

Dutterter assigned Roy Cimatu as a special envoy to help Filipino refugees overseas on April 23. Moreover, in the former Philippine President Arroyo's administration, Roy Cimatu had briefly served as chief of staff of the Armed Forces in 2002.