official killed, page-2

Above is appalling but shows the level of anger in the local community. Any arrogant behaviour in the past will be difficult to repair. The appointment of a "Social Responsibility" director had better be more than a PR exercise.

Attached is an announcement from Royalco today. They have two links with OGC, one being their Pao tenement is adjoining OGC's Didipio. As can be seen they are withdrawing and moving the drilling team to the Southern Philippines:


4thJune 2008 The Manager
Company Announcements Office
Australian Securities Exchange Ltd
General Update June 2008

...

EXPLORATION

The first portion of Royalco's Gambang exploration permit in the Central Cordillera, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, has been granted. Arrangements are now being finalised to have the drill rig at the Pao tenement moved to this region as a matter of priority.

Exploration at Pao has been hindered by protestors from outside the district and given recent violence on adjoining tenements, it has been decided to curtail activities for safety reasons.
The drilling of the main prospects at Digyan and Manidyo will be advanced once the political climate in this region stabilises.

The four hole diamond drilling program at Malangza is scheduled to commence later this month and with drilling at Gambang expected to start shortly thereafter.

...

Peter Topham
Executive Chairman



Also the federal gov't still support the mine, but the provincial gov't would like to see construction at least temporarily halted. Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of the tensions at Didipio?

PE