Filipino Angelo de la Cruz Taken Hostage: July 8, 2004

Angelo De la Cruz was taken captive on July 8, 2004. Shortly thereafter, a videotape circulated saying he would be released if Philippine troops were withdrawn from Iraq. After discussion within the Philippine government, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo agreed. On July 18, 2004 all troops hurriedly left the country in an effort to save De la Cruz. The both the Iraqi government and the U.S. objected: "This in my view and the view of the Iraqi government has set a bad precendent and sends the wrong messages. Terrorists won't be rewarded otherwise this will repeat itself," Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari said.

Martin Regg Cohn in the Toronto Star has a good backgrounder: "...the political culture of the Philippines is quite different, with Filipinos virtually unanimous in urging their government to do whatever it takes to save the life of overseas worker Angelo de la Cruz. That's because de la Cruz, a father of eight, is considered a national hero — not for anything this unassuming truck driver has done, but because of who he represents: the Overseas Filipino Worker, known as an OFW in local parlance. About 7.5 million Filipinos work abroad, amounting to roughly 10 per cent of the country's burgeoning population. The OFWs send home remittances of more than $10 billion a year, making them mythical figures for their families living in impoverished rural villages across the archipelago."

Point of interest: After the agreement, De la Cruz, still in captivity, noted that he was no longer in the orange jumpsuit that has become a key feature in the iconography of hostage videos.
[CNN]
[Short section of the original hostage video: CBS—RealPlayer]

Filipino Hostage Freed: July 20, 2004
Angelo de la Cruz is released on July 20. AP photo on the right shows his wife watching his release on TV.
[CNN]

Comments

[Do Slimming Belts Really Work?]

See, everyone went home happy.

-Amanda

[Ed]

I believe this was the right thing to do.

Sacrificing other people's lives to get what you want is just horrible. Politically or personally, it's just completely inhuman.