7 December 2020

The Management of Filminera Resources Corporation and Phil. Gold Processing & Refining Corp. were notified of an article featured in Vice World News alleging that the deaths of three young men in 2017 were connected to their being protesters to the mining and milling activities in the Masbate Gold Project. We strongly deny these unfounded allegations. Filminera and Phil. Gold respects the human rights of its internal and external stakeholders. We register and acknowledge grievances and work with our community to address them in a peaceful manner. This includes the peaceful engagement with vocal antimining protesters.

As for the inquiry on the three farmers killed in 2017, there are no records of any protests by farmers, or any other groups, protesting against the project during this period. The only reference remotely close to the allegations, is an incident reported in the national paper, the Philippine Star on July 21, 2017, where the military commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion claimed that three insurgents died as result of military operations in Barangay San Carlos Milagros, Masbate. These events occurred at approximately 40 km south west of the mine site and are totally unrelated to any protest about the mine.