*** Philippines accuses China of poisoning disputed waters | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Philippines accuses China of poisoning disputed waters

 

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MANILA: The Philippines’ National Security Council (NSC) on Monday accused Chinese fishermen of using cyanide to poison waters around Second Thomas Shoal, a move Manila claims is intended to destroy local fish populations and sabotage Filipino troops.

Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad stated that soldiers observed a Chinese sampan crew poisoning the waters near the shoal just last month.

Following this observation, tests conducted on the shoal's waters returned positive for cyanide. The report further notes that while the environmental tests confirmed the presence of the poison, none of the Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre have tested positive for cyanide exposure. 

This evidence follows the earlier seizure of ten yellow bottles, suspected to contain the toxin, from Chinese fishing vessels during multiple encounters throughout last year.

 
Photo Credits: AFP - Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad points to a photo where Filipino soldiers seized yellow bottles from Chinese fishermen suspected to contain cyanide in waters of Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, during a press conference in Manila on April 13, 2026.