Marilyn Cahatol

A photo from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shows the Chinese Coast Guard maintaining its presence in Ayungin Shoal and Sabina Shoal, both within the PH’s exclusive economic zone during a PCG Maritime Domain Awareness flight on February 21, 2023. Courtesy NTF West Philippine Sea

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177607365617620230222-spratly-chinese-coast-guard-HO-3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="A photo from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shows the Chinese Coast Guard maintaining its presence in Ayungin Shoal and Sabina Shoal, both within the PH’s exclusive economic zone during a PCG Maritime Domain Awareness flight on February 21, 2023. Courtesy NTF West Philippine Sea "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A photo from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shows the Chinese Coast Guard maintaining its presence in Ayungin Shoal and Sabina Shoal, both within the PH’s exclusive economic zone during a PCG Maritime Domain Awareness flight on February 21, 2023. <em>Courtesy NTF West Philippine Sea </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Philippine authorities on Monday confirmed that bottles recovered from Chinese fishing boats operating near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea contained cyanide, raising alarm over environmental damage, maritime security, and risks to Filipino troops stationed in the area.</p><p>Officials from the National Security Council (NSC), Philippine Navy, and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) presented the findings at a press conference, citing more than a year of monitoring and laboratory analysis.</p><p>NSC Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia Jr. said the NBI confirmed the presence of cyanide which the Chinese were using near the BRP Sierra Madre.</p><p>“Laboratory analysis conducted by the NBI’s Forensic and Scientific Research Service has conclusively established that the yellow bottles seized from the sampans contained cyanide, a highly toxic chemical known to cause severe and irreversible damage to humans and marine ecosystems,” Valencia told reporters in Manila.</p><p>The bottles were recovered in separate incidents in February and October 2025.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/9/tarriela-china-fired-flares-at-pcg-aircraft-in-west-ph-sea-1931">Philippines accuses China of poisoning disputed waters</a></div><p>“These laboratory findings remove any doubt as to the dangerous and unlawful nature of these activities. The deliberate use of cyanide raises serious concerns of the illegal and destructive practices, and threatens our Navy personnel in LS-57, the fragile marine environment of the West Philippine Sea, and the livelihood of the Filipino fisherfolk,” the official added.</p><p>Valencia added that such actions violate both domestic and international laws.</p><p>“Such actions, if proven intentional, constitute a blatant violation of Philippine environmental laws, as well as international maritime norms and obligations of states under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS,” he said.</p><div><br/><strong>‘DELIBERATE ATTEMPT’ TO DEPRIVE TROOPS</strong></div><p>Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said monitoring from February 2025 to March 2026 showed four incidents involving suspected cyanide use.</p><p>He added that these incidents are “deliberate attempts” to deprive personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre of potential sources of food and water.</p><p>“Based on the patterns that we have uncovered, this is a deliberate attempt not only to destroy the environment, but to deprive the men aboard the ship of possible sources of food and water. The effects on the health of our men is our primordial concern,” Trinidad stressed.</p><p>Personnel stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre rely partly on surrounding marine resources, making contamination an operational concern.</p><p>Trinidad said the scale of coral damage observed in the area suggests that such activities may have been ongoing even before monitoring began.</p><p>“We have been studying it since last year and it is a continuing thing. The long-term effects — accumulated effects of cyanide — in the area is found to be dangerous not only to our personnel, but also to the fragile marine ecosystem,” he noted.</p><p>The official also said the operations involved larger Chinese vessels.</p><p>“[The sampans were launched] From the mothership. These are maritime militia. These are fishing boats, mothership fishing boats, which are large enough to contain eight to twelve sampans,” Trinidad explained.</p><div> </div><div><strong>LABORATORY TESTS CONFIRM TOXICITY</strong></div><p>Two officials of the NBI — acting Forensic Chemistry Division chief Juliet Mahilum and forensic chemist Mujib Piang — detailed the scientific analysis behind the findings.</p><p>Piang said multiple laboratory methods confirmed the presence of cyanide in the samples.</p><p>The NBI official warned that as a potent toxicant, cyanide can have both immediate and long-term effects to one’s health and the environment.</p><p>“Cyanide is a very volatile substance. It has practical uses in different industries and one of them is fishing. Uncontrolled usage of cyanide can leave the ecosystem off balance,” Piang explained.</p><p>He went on, “Since it is a strong toxicant, it is a very corrosive substance. It could damage the corals and even serve as a pollutant for the marine environment. Food materials, drinks with elevated concentrations of cyanide can cause poisoning. The effects could be from something as light as nausea all the way up to mortality.”</p><div> </div><div><strong>ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02yi4iwxwsSF6gnfLHUxYvtfj85iAjwmaY5bxrb4LF6RYKPd92NejnugQdDmWsaicfl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="793" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-right:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-left:0px" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe><br/></div><p>The Philippine Navy reported additional hazards in the area, including the presence of heavy-duty nets near Ayungin Shoal’s entrance.</p><p>According to Trinidad, Chinese fishermen have deployed nets in the general vicinity of the shoal, which pose risks to vessels conducting rotation and resupply (RORE) missions.</p><p>“These are not ordinary fishing nets. These are strong enough to impede and entangle propellers of any vessel passing through the mouth of the shoal,” Trinidad said.</p><p>“The men aboard [the BRP Sierra Madre] have continuously retrieved these nets. There are quite a few of these. These ones we check also before every RORE,” he continued.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/dfa-defends-provisional-understanding-in-ayungin-says-13-rore-missions-completed-1637">DFA defends Provisional Understanding in Ayungin, says 13 RORE missions completed</a></div><p>The Navy also presented images showing dead corals near the BRP Sierra Madre, indicating of widespread environmental damage.</p><p>“If you see the scope of the damage to the corals, based on our assessment, it goes way back before February 2025. In the past, we have had reports of Chinese fishermen using illegal fishing methods that would include the use of cyanide and fine-meshed nets. So, these are both detrimental to the environment,” Trinidad noted.</p><div> </div><div><strong>LEGAL AND DIPLOMATIC IMPLICATIONS</strong></div><p>Ayungin Shoal lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), making China’s illegal activities unacceptable, according to the NSC.</p><p>“The operation of Chinese vessels engaging in activities involving hazardous substances in the area is both irresponsible and unacceptable,” Valencia stressed.</p><p>The NSC has directed the AFP and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to heighten maritime domain awareness, strengthen patrols, and take all necessary measures to prevent further environmental harm and safeguard national security interests in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>Trinidad assured that Navy personnel continue to confront and drive away Chinese fishermen operating near Ayungin Shoal, but operational constraints limit enforcement actions in the area.</p><p>“We document everything, we confiscate whatever illegal [materials] they have, and we drive them away,” the officials said.</p><p>However, Trinidad clarified that Philippine forces are unable to take custody of the Chinese fishermen.</p><p>“Operational dynamics do not allow us to bring them aboard the LS-57 and they are too far away to be brought to mainland Palawan,” he added.</p><p>The NSC said it would submit the NBI’s findings to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to support the filing of a diplomatic protest.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/3/more-chinese-naval-coast-guard-ships-spotted-in-wps-in-past-week-ph-navy-1615">More Chinese naval, coast guard ships spotted in WPS in past week–PH Navy</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PlwL5ysTULU?si=Pq1zNfdFPkrpOgJy" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Philippine authorities on Monday confirmed that bottles recovered from Chinese fishing boats operating near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea contained cyanide, raising alarm over environmental damage, maritime security, and risks to Filipino troops stationed in the area.</p>

Philippine authorities on Monday confirmed that bottles recovered from Chinese fishing boats operating near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea contained cyanide, raising alarm over environmental damage, maritime security, and risks to Filipino troops stationed in the area.

PH authorities confirm cyanide in bottles seized from Chinese boats near Ayungin Shoal

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PH authorities confirm cyanide in bottles seized from Chinese boats near Ayungin Shoal

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 13, 2026 06:08 PM PHT

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Ayungin Shoal

BRP Sierra Madre

cyanide

Chinese sampans

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