Hostage appeals to Philippine govt
A Filipino worker being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq appealed to his country to give in to their demands and withdraw its small contingent of troops, according to a video shown on the Al-Jazeera television station today.
The video appeared only moments after the Philippines’ announced it would withdraw its 51-member peacekeeping contingent from Iraq after its current stint ends on August 20.
It was not clear whether the troops would be replaced.
A spokesman for the President confirmed the country's small peacekeeping contingent would be withdrawn when its stint ends.
The Philippine government had considered extending its mandate for the 51-strong force but declined to commit to that in its statement today, apparently aimed at addressing a demand from the insurgents threatening to behead truck driver Angelo dela Cruz.
He was snatched on Wednesday near restive Fallujah in an attack that left his Iraqi security guard dead.
His captors said they would behead dela Cruz in three days if Manila did not pull out its troops.
“Our humanitarian contingent is scheduled to return on Aug. 20,” presidential spokesman Ignacio Bune said.
“Our future actions shall be guided by the UN Security Council decision as embodied in Resolution 1546, which defines the role of the UN and its member states in the future of Iraq.”
While the announcement left open the possibility of a future Philippine troop commitment in Iraq, word that they were coming home was a blow – at least in the short term – to the US-led coalition there.
It made no mention, however, of any further action on the Filipino contract workers there who are much more crucial to Washington.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has already barred any more contract workers from going to Iraq, but the statement did not mention any plans to have those on the ground return home.
The 4,000 or so Filipino workers on US military bases across Iraq provide food services, janitorial work and building maintenance.
