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.
| Photo Credit: AFP
The Philippines accused Chinese fishermen on Monday (April 13, 2026) 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 began last year around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly chain, which sits near vital shipping lanes and is reputedly rich in minerals.
Published – April 13, 2026 12:29 pm IST
