- Title: IRAQ: THE PHILIPPINES STARTS PULLING SOME OF ITS TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ
- Date: 16th July 2004
- Summary: (W3)BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JULY 16, 2004)(REUTERS) 1. SLV FORTIFICATION OUTSIDE PHILIPPINES EMBASSY 0.06 2. CU SIGN ON EMBASSY GATE READING "EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES" 0.10 3. SLV/SV FILIPINO SOLDIERS NEAR PICK-UP TRUCK OUTSIDE EMBASSY (2 SHOTS) 0.20 4. SLV FILIPINO SOLDIERS ON STREET NEAR EMBASSY 0.32 5. SLV/MCU FILIPINO SOLDIERS OUTSIDE EMBASSY / NEAR CAR (5 SHOTS) 1.05 6. SLV TWO JEEPS OUTSIDE EMBASSY (2 SHOTS) 1.17 7. SLV/LV JEEPS DRIVING AWAY (3 SHOTS) 1.33 8. SLV IRAQI POLICE CAR AND TWO POLICEMEN NEARBY 1.39 9. SLV PEOPLE SITTING IN A STREET CAFE 1.45 10. MCU (Arabic), ALI AL-BAGHDADI, SAYING: "It is a wrong move by the Philippines government and a defeat in front of a group of people who are trying to play havoc and sow anarchy in Iraq ." 2.02 11. SV PEOPLE ARGUING AT CAFE 2.08 12. MCU (Arabic) MOHAMMED JAAFAR, SAYING: "With regards the withdrawal of the Philippines troops from Iraq we believe that the Philippines government and troops should not bow to the demands of the kidnappers. We hope that they would stay to help the Iraqi people and not for the first operation against a Filipino citizen that they withdraw in this short time. We hoped that they would stay to build Iraq with us and help us defend Iraq." 2.38 13. LV TRAFFIC IN BAGHDAD STREET 2.43 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD,IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA9I8B3S6TXRM54I7430EC0LZG4
- Story Text: The Philippines starts pulling some of its troops
out of Iraq.
Eyewitnesses said eight people in two four-wheel
drive cars pulled out from the Philippines' Embassy in
Baghdad on Friday (July 16, 2004).
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert said
in a televised broadcast that 11 soldiers, including the
head of the 51-member humanitarian contingent, would leave
Iraq on Friday to save the life of a Filipino held hostage
there by gunmen.
A videotaped message aired late on Thursday (July 15)
showed hostage Angelo de la Cruz alive, looking well and
saying he would be home soon. Another message from his
captors said he would only be freed after Manila kept its
word to withdraw all its troops.
The pullout also comes after Iraqi police found a
headless corpse in the Tigris river dressed in an orange
jumpsuit like those often worn by foreign hostages in
videos released by militants.
Senior European diplomats in Baghdad said the corpse was
likely that of a Bulgarian hostage killed this week by
militants linked to al Qaeda ally Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.
Hopes of finding a second Bulgarian alive were fading, they
said.
"The Philippine government has recalled the head of
the Philippine humanitarian contingent in Iraq. He is
leaving Iraq today with 10 members of the Philippine
humanitarian contingent," Albert said.
A military official told Reuters two C-130 transport
planes were on standby in Manila to evacuate the troops,
but that those leaving on Friday might return home by
commercial airliner.
In Baghdad, a Philippine embassy official said they
might travel by land from their base in south-central Iraq
via Kuwait.
Relatives of the hostage, who have been on a
rollercoaster ride of emotions since his kidnapping last
week and subsequent false reports of release, urged
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday to
stick to the pull-out plan.
Japan issued a statement urging Manila to stand up to
the kidnappers. But Muslim Malaysia was much more
conciliatory.
The U.S. has expressed disappointment at the
withdrawal plans and warned Manila to remember who its
friends are.
Some analysts say the pull-out will severely strain
Manila's relations with Washington, costing it millions of
dollars of vital U.S. aid and damaging the government's
credibility abroad.
Iraqis on Friday criticised as "defeat" the Philippine
government's decision.
"It is a wrong move by the Philippines government and a
defeat in front of a group of people who are trying to play
havoc and sow anarchy in Iraq," said Ali al-Baghdadi.
Others said the Philippines should not bow to the
demands of kidnappers and should stay to help Iraqis build
their country.
"With regards the withdrawal of the Philippines troops
from Iraq we believe that the Philippines government and
troops should not bow to the demands of the kidnappers. We
hope that they would stay to help the Iraqi people and not
for the first operation against a Filipino citizen that
they withdraw in this short time. we hoped that they would
stay to build Iraq with us and help us defend Iraq," said
Mohammed Jaafar.
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