MANILA, Philippines – Wala pang naitatalang pinsala sa BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) na nakapuwesto sa Ayungin Shoal sa West Philippine Sea sa kabila ng iniulat na pagtatangkang magwisik ng cyanide ng mga Chinese malapit sa barko, ayon sa isang opisyal ng Philippine Navy.
Sa panayam ng mga mamamahayag nitong Martes ng gabi, sinabi ni Philippine Navy spokesperson para sa West Philippine Sea na si Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad na wala pang palatandaan ng pinsala sa barko at sa mga tauhan nito.
“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,” ani Trinidad.
Binigyang-diin niya na mapanganib na substansiya ang cyanide at maaaring maglagay sa panganib sa kalusugan at buhay ng mga tauhang nakaatas sa barko, lalo na kung magtutuluy-tuloy ang exposure dito.
“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,” dagdag ni Trinidad.
Pinasinungalingan din ni Trinidad ang mga alegasyong itinanghal o gawa-gawa lamang ang pagkakadiskubre ng cyanide sa mga dilaw na bote na nasamsam mula sa Chinese sampans malapit sa BRP Sierra Madre.
“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,” ani Trinidad.
Nauna nang sinabi ng National Security Council na nasamsam ng Navy ang mga bote mula sa Chinese sampans noong Pebrero 2025 at noong Oktubre 24, 2025. Ayon pa sa NSC, “has conclusively established” ng laboratory testing ng Forensic and Scientific Research Service ng National Bureau of Investigation na may lamang cyanide ang mga nasabing dilaw na bote. Dave Baluyot
