A Filipino held hostage in Iraq told his family in a videotaped message aired yesterday that he would be home soon, but the militants holding him said he would be freed only after Manila withdrew its troops from Iraq.
However, the Philippine military was still awaiting orders to leave, a day after Manila said it would pull its troops out of Iraq to save Angelo de la Cruz despite pressure from the US not to cave in to the demands.
A message recorded by the kidnappers appeared to extend a previous deadline beyond July 20 but said de la Cruz would not be handed over until all Philippine troops had left Iraq.
"The hostage will be released after the withdrawal of the last Filipino soldier from Iraq within a period that does not exceed the current month," the statement by the Islamic Army said.
Addressing his family, de la Cruz said: "Wait for me, I'm coming back to you," Arabic television channel al Jazeera said in its translation of his remarks.
De la Cruz appeared in good health and wore civilian clothes, unlike in previous tapes in which he wore an orange jumpsuit.
Al Jazeera quoted de la Cruz as sending a message of thanks to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for her decision to withdraw her forces.
Officials in Manila declined to comment.
"We will make the proper announcement if he is already in our custody," a presidential palace official said on condition of anonymity.
Militants who captured de la Cruz had threatened to kill him unless Manila withdrew its 43 soldiers and eight police by July 20, one month ahead of schedule.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert said on Wednesday her ministry was working to meet the kidnappers' demands and that the contingent had already been reduced.
Air force spokesman Major Restituto Padilla said yesterday that no order to withdraw had yet been received and two planes on standby in Manila for an evacuation were now on other missions.
The kidnappers' demand has left Arroyo walking a tightrope between demands at home to save de la Cruz's life and the wish to please the US by remaining in Iraq. The US has expressed grave concern.
"In a crisis, an ally, a friend, helps a partner to be strong and that's what we are trying to do," US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone said after meeting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita yesterday.
"In a time of test where enemies demand you kneel ... I just ask you please, don't confuse your enemies or your friends," he said.
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
‘SECRETS’: While saying China would not attack during his presidency, Donald Trump declined to say how Washington would respond if Beijing were to take military action US President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan while he is president, as the Chinese leaders “know the consequences.” Trump made the statement during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes program that aired on Sunday, a few days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea. “He [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘we would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in the interview. However, he repeatedly declined to say exactly how Washington would respond in
WARFARE: All sectors of society should recognize, unite, and collectively resist and condemn Beijing’s cross-border suppression, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said The number of Taiwanese detained because of legal affairs by Chinese authorities has tripled this year, as Beijing intensified its intimidation and division of Taiwanese by combining lawfare and cognitive warfare, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) made the statement in response to questions by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈柏洋) about the government’s response to counter Chinese public opinion warfare, lawfare and psychological warfare. Shen said he is also being investigated by China for promoting “Taiwanese independence.” He was referring to a report published on Tuesday last week by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency,
‘ADDITIONAL CONDITION’: Taiwan will work with like-minded countries to protect its right to participate in next year’s meeting, the foreign ministry said The US will “continue to press China for security arrangements and protocols that safeguard all participants when attending APEC meetings in China,” a US Department of State spokesperson said yesterday, after Beijing suggested that members must adhere to its “one China principle” to participate. “The United States insists on the full and equal participation of all APEC member economies — including Taiwan — consistent with APEC’s guidelines, rules and established practice, as affirmed by China in its offer to host in 2026,” the unnamed spokesperson said in response to media queries about China putting a “one China” principle condition on Taiwan’s
RSS