US EditionPhilippines Confirms Cyanide in Bottles From Chinese Boats Near Ayungin Shoal
Laboratory tests found the bottles contained cyanide, and officials said the chemical could damage the reef and threaten Philippine troops at the outpost.
- On Monday, April 13, 2026, the Philippines National Security Council confirmed laboratory tests found cyanide in yellow bottles seized from Chinese sampans operating near the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.
- Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said troops seized 10 bottles of cyanide from sampan boats launched by Chinese fishing ships during operations in February, July, and October 2025.
- The National Bureau of Investigation and Scientific Research Service verified the findings, with NSC spokesman Cornelio Valencia noting the toxic substance causes "severe and irreversible damage" to marine ecosystems.
- Manila has ordered the navy and coastguard to step up patrols "to prevent further environmental harm," while the NSC plans to submit a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs for a diplomatic protest.
- The NSC also warned that cyanide poisoning could compromise the "structural foundations" of the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era ship functioning as a Philippine military outpost in the disputed South China Sea.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Chinese Regime Dumped Toxic Chemical in South China Sea, Manila Says
Chinese boats dropped bottles containing cyanide in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippines said on April 13, calling it an act of “sabotage” that threatened the lives of military personnel and fishermen. The Philippines National Security Council said in a statement that two bottles were seized by the Philippine navy near Second Thomas Shoal in February and October 2025. Laboratory analysis determined that the bottles dropped by Chinese bo…
Cyanide Discovery in South China Sea Sparks Philippines–China Tensions
The Philippines has raised alarm after discovering cyanide on Chinese vessels operating near a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, intensifying tensions in an already volatile region. Officials say laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the toxic substance in materials seized during naval operations at Second Thomas Shoal, known in the Philippines as Ayungin […] The post Cyanide Discovery in South China Sea Sparks Philippines–China Tensio…
Philippines alleges toxic sabotage in South China Sea as fishermen accused of dumping cyanide in Spratlys waters
MANILA, April 13 — The Philippines accused Chinese fishermen today of pouring cyanide in waters in the Spratly Islands, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of violent confrontations with Chinese vessels.Beijing claims the strategic South China Sea in nearly its entirety, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.The Philippines’ National Security Council (NSC) alleged the poisoning bega…
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