(Eagle News)–The Palace on Thursday, May 23, said President Rodrigo Duterte wants the trash shipped by Canada to the Philippines six years ago returned to the North American country the “soonest possible time.”
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said it is for this reason Duterte was not on board Canada’s plan to have the garbage returned there by the end of June.
“Diba sabi nila it might take about end of June pa, hindi papayag si Presidente dun,” Panelo said.
Panelo could not say, however, when exactly the trash should be shipped back to the North American country.
“Hindi ko alam kung ano ang soonest, either this week or week after but definitely not the end of June. Ayaw natin ‘yun ang tagal masyado,” he said.
Panelo issued the remark after the Canadian government announced Catherine McKenna, its minister of environment and climate change, had awarded a contract to Bollore Logistics Canada for the shipment.
It said the removal of the garbage will have been completed by the end of June as “the waste must be safely treated to meet Canadian safety and health requirements.”
Canada said the cost of the shipment would be shouldered by the Canadian government.
Canada issued the statement after President Duterte ordered government agencies to look for a private vessel that would ship the trash back to the North American country.
According to Panelo, if Canada did not accept the garbage, the vessel would leave it in Canadian waters.
