MANILA, Philippines 鈥� 听 The Philippines is not a trash can where other nations can just wantonly violate our environmental laws and our sovereignty.
Senate Majority听 Leader听 Juan Miguezl Zubiri听 said this on Thursday as he threw听 his support听 behind President听 Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚听 order to send听 the听 tons听 of听 garbage back 听 to Canada.
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READ: BREAKING: Duterte orders 鈥榠mmediate鈥� return of Canada trash; Philippines to shoulder cost
鈥淲e support the President鈥檚 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,鈥� Zubiri听 said in a statement.
鈥淎s 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,鈥� he added.
On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo disclosed that听 Duterte was听 so upset that he wants the Philippine government to听 pay for听 the cost of听 sending听 back the听 garbage听 to听 Canada.
鈥淧resident 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鈥檚 neither-here-nor-there pronouncements on the matter,鈥� Panelo said.
鈥淎s 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鈥檚 trash to the latter鈥檚 jurisdiction.鈥�
鈥淭he government of the Philippines will shoulder all expenses and we do not mind the same,鈥澨� Panelo added. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)