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.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
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