Recall of diplomats a warning to cut ties with Canada — Palace
MANILA, Philippines — The order of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to recall Philippine diplomats in Canada shows that the Philippine government is very serious in asking Ottawa to get back their garbage, Malacañang said Thursday.
"That recall shows that we are very serious in asking them to get back their garbage. Otherwise, we're gonna sever relations with them," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.
Locsin tweeted that he had sent letters for the recall of the country's ambassador and consuls to Canada.
The North American country was supposed to ship back the remaining containers of garbage that a private company illegally dumped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014.
"And we shall maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until its garbage is ship bound there," Locsin tweeted Thursday morning.
At midnight last night, letters for the recall of our ambassador and consuls to Canada went out. They are expected here in a day or so. Canada missed the May 15 deadline. And we shall maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until its garbage is ship bound there.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 15, 2019
That the government may consider a 2 to 3 week delay DOES NOT EXTEND THE DEADLINE. Our diplomatic presence in Canada shall be de minimis. At the Japanese enthronement ceremony, DOF informed me that Canada did not show up at a meeting with Customs and that was the trigger.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 16, 2019
Panelo said Locsin's decision to pull out Philippine envoys from Canada was reasonable as the North American country said they would ship back the garbage.
Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs showed that there are 892,481 Filipino workers in Canada as of December 2017, equivalent to about 2.4% of the country's population.
Asked if the recall of the envoys would affect the situation of Filipino workers in Canada, the Malacañang spokesman said the government would always be protective of its people.
"Whatever the consequence, this government will be protective of the interests of our countrymen in any part of the world," Panelo said.
Prior to Locsin's tweet Thursday morning, Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte would tolerate a slight delay as Canada would not be able to meet its deadline.
"If it is only a slight delay, the president is a very reasonable man. What is important is they will take back their waste," Panelo said Wednesday evening.
Panelo, however, clarified that Duterte did not order Locsin to recall the country's ambassador and consuls to Canada as the president does not interfere with his Cabinet members.
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