Filipino Hostage's Family Appeals for His Release

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By Pedro Uchi

BUENAVISTA, Philippines (Reuters) - The family of a Filipino driver abducted in Iraq (news - web sites) appealed to the government on Friday to bring him home as diplomats tried to contact militants threatening to behead him unless Manila withdraws its forces.


Gunmen holding Angelo de la Cruz said on Wednesday they would kill him unless Manila, a staunch ally of the United States, pulls its largely symbolic force of around 50 humanitarian workers out of Iraq within 72 hours.


President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (news - web sites), facing a stiff test only weeks after winning a new term in May elections, said she could give no details on the government's strategy because it might endanger De la Cruz's life.


"I shall not comment about the situation at this most crucial and sensitive point in time, when we have to withhold information on our moves to ensure the safety of the hostage," she told a conference on overseas employment in Manila.


"I leave it to our Iraq team to do what must be done in coordination with the transition government of Iraq and our allies to get the hostage home safely."


De la Cruz's family said Angelo, 46, had gone to Saudi Arabia a year ago to work as a trailer driver, after being unemployed for five months.


The next time they saw him was on a video broadcast by Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and kneeling in front of three gunmen after he was apparently abducted while driving into Iraq from Saudi Arabia.


CRYING AND PRAYING


"We appeal to the president to help us bring our father home. He is the only one earning money for us," Julysis de la Cruz, one of Angelo's 8 children, told television from their house in Pampanga, a rural area north of Manila which is also Arroyo's home province and political base.


"They are crying and praying for the safety of their father," he said of his brothers and sisters.


His eldest daughter, 26-year-old Judith de la Cruz, cried while clutching a photograph of her father before he left.


"Last night, we saw our father on TV, and we were shocked of course," she said.


"It is so hard and painful to see your father crying. It's sad, he is our father. We are asking President Gloria to help us and have mercy on us."


Arroyo banned Filipino citizens on Thursday from going to Iraq and sent her top Middle East envoy, former general Roy Cimatu, to Baghdad after holding an emergency cabinet meeting.


Government officials said they are waiting to hear Cimatu's recommendations on how to secure De la Cruz's release, but were already trying to contact the militants who abducted him.


"There are intermediaries who we think are going to be effective," Jose Brillantes, foreign affairs undersecretary, told television without giving further details.


Militants have seized dozens of foreigners in recent weeks and beheaded a South Korean hostage last month after Seoul rejected their demands to pull out 670 South Korean medics and engineers from Iraq and drop plans to send 3,000 troops.

The Philippines, a major recipient of U.S. military aid, sent its team last year to assist in Iraq's reconstruction. Manila has only committed to keep them there until August 20, marking a year since the initial deployment.

At least 4,000 Filipino civilians are working there as well, many employed by contractors and working in U.S. military bases. Three Filipino workers have so far been killed in attacks by insurgents opposed to the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

About 8 million Filipinos work overseas, many driven to leave because of a lack of jobs and low wages at home. (With reporting by Manny Mogato and Rosemarie Francisco)


Filipino hostage Angelo dela Cruz's daughter, Judith, left, is comforted by relatives as they hear updates on her father's abduction in Iraq (news - web sites) outside their home in Mexico, Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines, on Friday, July 9, 2004.

the filipino shouldn't be in iraq anyway.

So you think it justifies him being kidnapped by terrorists and being threatened with death? This guy is innocent, he went to Saudi Arabia as a truck driver coz he was unemployed for 5 months and needed to feed his 8 kids. Killing an innocent person doesnt justify what you juz said.

Anybody who goes to Iraq to help the US occupation isn't innocent, although I hope that the Philippines govt. brings back its forces from Iraq instead of that guy being killed.

isn't innocetn? dude the mand didnt do crap. he's a civi, soldiers know that, well they aint soldiers just bunch of cowards trying to maek a point and fight a losing war, or lost war. they don't understand that us is not going to flinch on their measly gayish attacks on civilians, i'll volunteer to go in and get those cowards if i had the choice, i not infantry but ill pull the fifty, caliber that is, and go in there, no body mess with a fellow country man, to me it's an attack to my people.

THat is what you calll terrorism, Just like those Abu Sayaf !

yes! Remember US is helping PI in their terrorist problem in mindanao and sulu!

anyways, i thought the filipino abducted was a filipino muslim with a muslim name even!

dela cruz was his last name. angelo was his name i think.

I think he was the second or third Filipino that was abducted in Iraq!

well done.

I hope that they would released him soon .

here's a photo of the swarthy filipino.

the philippines must not budge even in this unfortunate situation! or else the terrorist will win. but we must pray for this filipino all the while!

you're obviously a lapdog of US imperialism. are you filipinos proud to be america's little brown brothers?

well this issue is affecting the philippines even if had not become involved in the war because we already have terorrist cells in mindanao island doing the same thing & the US had sent her troops to train the PI to combat them! so it is a group effort to defeat these terrorist that are everywhere! :genius:

you a muslim?

I agree w/ u tho, flips are america's little brown monkeys.

brothers not monkeys...

i hope you remember your Humanity and your Heart after all this -khmai- We are refraining from your type of actions because we are being respectful to your ppl but much more to ourselves that we will not ugly our hearts and follow the suit of such blind hatred and blatant racism that you have for us! :genius: the philippine nation could potentionally be a great neighboor and helpful friend to your respective country since we have little to no historical conflict or issue with you unlike the circumstances you have with your imediate southeast asian neighboors. however, we are a peaceful and respectful nation and we must have such qualities reciprocated in return! It is up to you though. It does not have to be the Cambodia vs the entire World. Maybe you can try to make Friends as well!

Ignore that troll

terrorist are terrorist they hit whoever they want, sad people cowards they hit civilians and when people don't expect it. and they have the guts to legitimize it too. hmmm... and using the sacred and unblemished teaching of the great teacher mohammed to justify and recruit others. hmmm... i don't think there's a seventh heaven for these guys, maybe seventh hell. and it is everybody's job to kill the crap outta these people. no matter what country, everybody should stop these cowards.

I agree with you. Terriost should not be tolerated. Hm...maybe Pi should have a national terriost killing day. I would like that

recent news.... angelo dela cruz is already released by the iraqi men

thats nice to know a hostage got release. Even though i don't know she/he is! It still nice, because 1 live is being save.

nope, he hasnt. He has been given an extension time.

yup!they just always extend not release....

i say let all the coalition forces go and find those cowards hole and get they @$$. cowards.

The "BIG " question is that , Is the Terrorist group protected by those Saddam Loyalist group?

posting in again here...

the Philippines should not pull-out until the August 20 deadline. if the government pulls out, we're telling the whole international community that we can be talked out of something even by rebels.. but the fact that they captured a civilian turns them into terrorists thus we're giving in to the terrorists' demands. and to think we're one of the countries backing the US against terrorism. respect on the Philippines will be lost.

the militants are also right about the plight of our Filipino brothers there. but wait a minute, why do you think the government stopped the deployment of workers to Iraq? isn't obvious that Filipinos still want to go there and risk death in Iraq to earn money rather than die of starvation in the Philippines?

and it may sound ridiculous but the fate of one national is lesser than the fate of our country. sometimes we must do our duty to our country rather than expect what our country's duties are to us.

that's because apparently, the brother of Angelo dela Cruz got hold of news of his release and immediately told his mother in Pampanga. now, the family sought confirmation from the Labor Sec. who, for some reason did not confirm it with Malacañang so he can get the credit of being first to announce the release, told the family a very big "yes". a bit reassuring though to think that the hostage was STILL on the process of release.

yes the family has every right to know the happenings at that moment but they shouldn't have told the media about it directly. well, we can't blame the media coz it's their job. when media got hold of the news, it went directly to CNN who contacted their regional office in the middle east to confirm it. now, if you're an Iraqi rebel, you're being chased after by US forces. so if im a rebel, i wouldn't go to a place where the agreed place is flocked by media and probably by US troops, would i? that's why the release was cancelled. to still push through with the release would be suicidal.

Is that the government stance in this issue?

i don't know about the government stance but i hope they won't withdraw for the sake of our nation.

i heard that his family was in jordan right now? is it true?

I hope that they try to help this guy and his life be spared by his captors!

uuwi na daw and PI troops?

yup