Zubiri backs Duterte vs Canada: We are not a trash can

MANILA, Philippines –   The Philippines is not a trash can where other nations can just wantonly violate our environmental laws and our sovereignty.

Senate Majority  Leader  Juan Miguezl Zubiri  said this on Thursday as he threw  his support  behind President  Rodrigo Duterte’s  order to send  the  tons  of  garbage back   to Canada.

READ: BREAKING: Duterte orders ‘immediate’ return of Canada trash; Philippines to shoulder cost

“We support the President’s move on sending back the Canadian trash back to Canada as the Philippines is not a Basurahan. We are not a trash can where other nations can just wantonly violate our environmental laws and our sovereignty,” Zubiri  said in a statement.

“As one of the principal authors of the Solid Waste Management Act, I am in full support of our President in returning the trash back to Canada and to do the same for any country who does this to us in the future,” he added.

On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo disclosed that  Duterte was  so upset that he wants the Philippine government to  pay for  the cost of  sending  back the  garbage  to  Canada.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is so upset about the inordinate delay of Canada in shipping back its containers of garbage. We are extremely disappointed with Canada’s neither-here-nor-there pronouncements on the matter,” Panelo said.

“As a result of this offending delay, the President has instructed the appropriate office to look for a private shipping company which will bring back Canada’s trash to the latter’s jurisdiction.”

“The government of the Philippines will shoulder all expenses and we do not mind the same,”  Panelo added. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)