Manila, April 14 -- A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday denied claims that the discovery of cyanide in yellow bottles seized from Chinese sampans near BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) in Ayungin Shoal, West Philippine Sea (WPS) was staged and 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," Na...