From the perspective of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, decisions would have been made faster in the Canadian government if they had President Rodrigo Duterte as its leader.
Panelo said this at a press conference in the Malacañang Palace today, where he discussed Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s decision to recall Philippine envoys in Canada after the North American country failed to take back its garbage, which was allegedly illegally dumped in the Philippines.
READ: ‘Eat it if you want to’: Duterte threatens war if Canada does not take back garbage
From 2013 to 2014, as many as 103 containers containing Canadian waste such as plastic bottles, bags, and even used adult diapers arrived in Manila, reported ABS-CBN News. The trash came from an Ontario-based company which wrongly declared the contents of the containers as recyclable materials.
A court in Manila ordered in 2016 that the garbage be shipped back to Canada but it remains in the country. Last month, an impatient Duterte said he would declare war against Canada if they don’t take back its garbage and gave May 15 as a deadline.
READ: Philippine ambassador, consuls recalled over Canada’s failure to take back trash
It’s already a day after that deadline but nothing has changed.
“I don’t understand. It’s so easy [for them to take the garbage back],” he said. “If I were the prime minister [of Canada], [I would] take that back, bring that here. It’s that simple. What they need is President Duterte to become the president of Canada for [things to get done]. It’s that simple.”
But even Panelo couldn’t explain why Canada has failed to take back its garbage after all these years. All he’s heard was that there were some problems with paperwork.
“I don’t know. That’s what they say — it’s because of documentation,” he said.
According to Locsin’s tweet, Canadian officials were supposed to meet with Filipino customs officers to discuss the trash during the recent Japanese enthronement ceremony but they allegedly did not show up. This was what triggered Locsin to recall the diplomats.
Referring to Locsin’s tweet, Panelo said: “In other words, if they’re not sincere, why would we have a [diplomatic] relationship? That recall means we’re very serious in trying to [urge them to] get back their garbage. Otherwise, we’re gonna sever relationships with them.”
Panelo believes that Locsin’s decision to recall the diplomats would not affect overseas Filipino workers living in Canada.
“I don’t think so. Those who live there are there legally. And they also need our overseas workers,” he said.
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