Foreign Secretary Delia Albert announces that the remaining members of the tiny Philippine police and military contingent in Iraq are to withdraw on Monday. Photo by AFP
The last Filipino troops that remained in Iraq will meet with their Polish commandment today. The Philippines were forced to withdraw their troops to save the life of a Filipino truck driver held hostage by Iraqi militants. The remaining 32 members of the military-police contingent were set to decamp from Iraq later Monday as President Gloria Arroyo's government, ignoring criticism from the interim Iraqi government, Washington and other members of the US-led forces, pressed for the release of hostage Angelo de la Cruz. The kidnappers have threatened to behead the 46-year-old father-of-eight unless Manila completed its pullout by month's end.