Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<p>SUBIC, ZAMBALES — Personnel from the Western Naval Command forcibly drove away Chinese fishing boats involved in destructive fishing using suspected cyanide-based chemicals in Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal.</p><p>According to Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, troops stationed on the country’s military outpost BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin spotted the Chinese fishermen on Friday night.</p><p>Soldiers deployed two rubber boats to accost the foreign fishermen. The fishing boat was then towed with ropes out of the shoal before being allowed to leave.</p><p>“We were enforcing our sovereign rights within Ayungin Shoal,” Trinidad said in a sideline interview during the Philippine Navy Drone Warfare Summit at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.</p><p>The fishermen allegedly used cyanide — a banned chemical that causes severe environmental damage.</p><p>“It is detrimental to the environment,” said Trinidad. “Not only for the fish, but pati ‘yong environment — ‘yong mga corals, nasisira ‘yan.”</p><p>(Not only for the fish, but also for the environment — the corals get destroyed.)</p><p>“Cyanide is used to marine species, makakatulog sila, magiging unconscious, huhulihin sila nang buhay, iuuwi ito at ibenta. Mahal ito, itong mga rare species.”</p><p>(Cyanide is used on marine species to make them drowsy and unconscious. They’re then caught alive, brought home, and sold — especially rare and expensive species.)</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid033SeFqXUcjWnmGsPYrV6HWdPc1eRMVjAKuQdcnwKod38QH9Ven3ayqYMwFKZcAishl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="792" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Authorities recovered four containers of suspected cyanide and other paraphernalia used for illegal fishing.</p><p>Trinidad said the Chinese fishermen were not arrested to avoid compromising the security of the BRP Sierra Madre.</p><p>“On a normal day, they could have been arrested but considering the circumstances — nasa BRP Sierra Madre, iaakyat mo sila doon, you have to feed them, you have to house them, makita nila ‘yong loob ng Sierra Madre. Ang ginawa natin, they documented everything, they confiscated ‘yong mga illegal paraphernalia,” he said.</p><p>(They could have been arrested on a normal day, but since it happened at the BRP Sierra Madre, bringing them aboard would mean feeding and housing them, and they would see the ship’s interior. So instead, we documented everything and confiscated the illegal materials.)</p><p>A China Coast Guard ship was reportedly nearby during the incident but did not intervene. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/27/marcos-flags-dangerous-maneuvers-coercive-use-of-tools-in-south-china-sea-1238">Marcos flags &#x27;dangerous maneuvers, coercive use of tools&#x27; in South China Sea</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/26/tarriela-calls-out-paolo-duterte-for-divisive-noise-on-ph-defense-partnerships-1538">Tarriela calls out Paolo Duterte for &#x27;divisive noise&#x27; on PH defense partnerships</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YEi7Ti4XGLI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><iframe width="1250" height="703" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p-7MuZWwPKw" title="PH, India navies hold joint patrols in West Philippine Sea | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3ySNNJp1AU" title="China slams PH defense chief, calls Manila &#x27;troublemaker&#x27; in sea row | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Personnel from the Western Naval Command forcibly drove away Chinese fishing boats involved in destructive fishing using suspected cyanide-based chemicals in Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal.</p>

Personnel from the Western Naval Command forcibly drove away Chinese fishing boats involved in destructive fishing using suspected cyanide-based chemicals in Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal.

Philippine troops drive out Chinese vessels involved in destructive fishing in Ayungin

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Philippine troops drive out Chinese vessels involved in destructive fishing in Ayungin

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 27, 2025 12:57 PM PHT

|

Updated October 27, 2025 08:25 PM PHT

Read More:

West Philippine Sea

Ayungin Shoal

South China Sea

Chinese fishermen

Western Naval Command

Philippine Navy

AFP

illegal fishing

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