Article by:
Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – There are no signs of damage to the Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) stationed in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, despite reported Chinese attempts to spray cyanide within its vicinity.
"So far, we have no report of any damage to the ship or the men. What has been reported, and all the pictures are there, the videos are there, is the irreparable damage to the reef," Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in an interview with reporters late Tuesday.
He noted that cyanide is a dangerous substance and could jeopardize the lives of the personnel manning the ship if used constantly.
"It could put the lives of the men aboard the ship at risk, considering that the fish stocks and their water supply, which they get from the ocean, desalinate it, could be contaminated. So, there are also risks to the health of the men," Trinidad said.
He earlier rejected claims that the discovery of cyanide in yellow bottles seized from Chinese sampans near the BRP Sierra Madre was staged and fabricated.
"Number one, our actions in the WPS are designed to secure and to protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights, and that would include protecting the environment. Number two, all of our actions are based on scientific evidence. We do not fabricate news. It took more than a year to be able to have this liquid checked to confirm that, indeed, it contains cyanide. Number three, the area surrounding LS-57 would show that the irreparable damage to the coral reef, it’s quite extensive," Trinidad said.
The National Security Council (NSC) earlier said the Navy seized these bottles from Chinese sampans in February 2025 and on Oct. 24, 2025.
The NSC said laboratory testing conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Forensic and Scientific Research Service "has conclusively established" that the yellow bottles seized from the sampans contain cyanide. (PNA)
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