Gold Fields picket enters 3rd week

Saturday, February 4, 2012

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – There is no let-up in the picket against Gold Fields Philippines Inc. at the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation Far South East site.

Flora Belinan said the picket will not disperse until the company pulls out its drilling equipment from the site.

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The picket has been ongoing for almost two weeks.

Meanwhile, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples still has to act on the temporary restraining order (TRO) against drilling activities in the area filed by lawyer Richard Kilaan.

Belinan said the unrest stems from an alleged lack of Free Prior and Informed Consent by Gold Fields to start drilling activities.

Kilaan said the request for a TRO was filed at the NCIP on the basis of a lack of a FPIC obtained by the LCMC’s newest investor which is on the closing months of its due diligence stage.

Belinan said Madaymen residents protested since they are affected by the present drilling.

Previously, Gold Fields president Brett Mattison assured all negotiations made were pursuant to law.

The company is in its due diligence over the Far Southeast (FSE) deposit partly owned by Lepanto in the municipality of Mankayan in Benguet by reason of an option agreement entered into on September 20, 2010. Such agreement gave Gold Fields a minimum 18-month option period until the later part of March 2012 and when an FTAA is granted then Gold Fields may exercise its option to invest in the project.

Goldfileds is one of many new companies interested in the resources of the Cordilleran Mountains with Canadian company Solfotara (Kibungan and Bakun in Benguet; Abra), Columbus and Magellan in Bokod, Benguet, Olympus Pacific in Abra and Philippine Metals Canada in Tubo, Abra; Australian mine Royalco and Brazilian mine Vale both in Bakun, and the US company Malibato-Phelps Dodge in the provinces of Kalinga, Mountain Province and Abra. Vale is the world’s largest producer of iron ore and a leading producer of nickel and copper.