After Duterte threat of war, Canada says it’s 'strongly committed' to get rid of trash

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 24) — Canada assured that it is working with the Philippines to get rid of the trash illegally shipped to the country beginning 2013, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat of war against the North American nation.

The Canadian Embassy in the Philippines said they are “strongly committed” to shipping back the trash to Canada.

“A joint technical working group, consisting of officials from both countries, is examining the full spectrum of issues related to the removal of the waste with a view to a timely resolution,” the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday.

It added that Canada and the Philippines are celebrating this year 70 years of diplomatic relations built on “strong people to people ties, our common interest in strengthening political, economic and cultural relations and in our mutual commitment to peace.”

In a speech yesterday, Duterte threatened to go to war against Canada. He also said that he will dump trash in front of the Canadian embassy.

A total of 103 container vans containing trash weighing 2,450 tons were shipped to the Philippines in several batches from 2013 to 2014. Canadian-based firm Chronic Plastics, Inc., which exported the vans, declared their contents as plastic scrap materials without securing import entries for its shipment that arrived in July and August of 2013.

Some of the vans remain at the Port of Manila.

In November 2017, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "a Canadian solution" was being developed on the trash problem.