Philippines recalls top diplomats from Canada over trash row

Thursday, 16 May 2019 09:29

The Philippines has ordered the withdrawal of top diplomats from Canada over Ottawa's failure to comply with a deadline to take back 69 containers of trash.

In a Tweet, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the Philippines "shall maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until its garbage is ship bound there."

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo highlighted that the recall showed that "we are very serious in asking them to get back their garbage otherwise we're gonna sever relations with them".

Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened he would personally escort the waste containers back to Canada.

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