MANILA — The Philippine Navy said there are no signs of damage to the BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) stationed at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, despite reports of alleged Chinese attempts to spray cyanide in its vicinity.

Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said there has been no reported harm to the vessel or its personnel.

“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,” Trinidad said in an interview with reporters.

He warned that exposure to cyanide poses serious risks to personnel aboard the grounded vessel.

“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,” he added.

Trinidad also rejected claims that the discovery of cyanide in bottles recovered near the ship was 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,” he said.

The National Security Council earlier said the Philippine Navy recovered yellow bottles from Chinese sampans near the BRP Sierra Madre during incidents in February 2025 and on October 24, 2025.

It added that laboratory testing conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Forensic and Scientific Research Service confirmed that the recovered bottles contained cyanide.