DOF exec ‘trying to delay’ return of trash to Canada

TUG OF TRASH Canada has not taken back its containers full of household trash that were misdeclared and smuggled into the country in 2013. —Photo from Metro Clark Waste Management Corp.

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday said the Department of Finance (DOF) contravened President Duterte’s order by trying to delay the return to Canada of the tons of trash it had shipped to the Philippines six years ago.

In several posts on Twitter, Locsin said a “DOF assistant” was trying “to delay the shipment.”

He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Foreign Affairs had successfully negotiated with the Canadian Embassy in Manila for the return of the trash by May 15, the deadline set by the President.

“The deadline is May 15. Period. I don’t give two fucks what [the] DOF says,” he tweeted.

Call from Dominguez

Locsin later retracted his comment, saying Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III had called him about it.

“What is important is we work together to meet our President’s deadline of May 15 and not give Canada excuses to push the deadline further…” the country’s chief diplomat said.

He said 69 containers “more or less” would be on board a ship in Manila on its way to Toronto on May 15.

Canada has offered to pay for the cost of shipping back what remained of the 103 containers of nonrecyclable household waste that the Ontario-based company Chronic Inc. shipped to Manila through its Valenzuela-based consignee Chronic Plastics in 2013 and 2014. —Dona Z. Pazzibugan