Philippine President Gloria Arroyo confirmed Tuesday afternoon that truck driver Angelo dela Cruz has been released by Iraqi militants and is on his way home from the United Arab Emirates.
A smiling Arroyo told the presidential news pool at the Macalanang presidential palace that she has talked with dela Cruz by phone and that he is in good state.
"I am happy to announce to the nation that our long national vigil involving Angelo dela Cruz is over. I thanked the Lord Almighty for his blessings," said Arroyo.
"I just spoke to him. His health is good, his spirits high and he sends best wishes to every Filipino for their thoughts and prayers," she said.
The Philippine government completed the pullout of its humanitarian contingent from Iraq on July 19, at the demand of Iraqi militants who kidnapped dela Cruz and threatened to kill him.
Arroyo said that the Philippine nation -- Muslim and Christian alike, "united around our compassion for an innocent in a world of danger".
"A father of eight, Angelo has become a Filipino 'everyman', a symbol of the hard working Filipino seeking hope and opportunity," said Arroyo.
She thanked the Philippine government officials who "worked quietly" for Angelo dela Cruz's release, as well as foreigners who helped facilitate the negotiations for his release.
"Most of all, I thank the Filipino people for their forbearance and prayers," she said.
Filipino hostage freed after troops pullout from Iraq
A Filipino hostage who was threatened to be killed by his kidnappers if his country did not pull its troops out of Iraq was freed Tuesday morning near the United Arab Emirates Embassy.
The UAE charge d'affaires Hammed Ahmed al-Shamisi said in a statement that "we were surprised when the Philippine hostage Anglode la Cruz was released in our embassy."
The Philippine deputy foreign minister and charge d'affaires were in the UAE embassy and they agreed with the UAE embassy to transport de la Cruz to the United Arab Emirates to make medical check-ups.
De la Cruz was dropped off by his kidnappers on a street corner outside the UAE embassy at 10:30 am (0630 GMT) and told to walk towards the building, the UAE diplomat told reporters. He denied any relation between his embassy and the kidnappers, stressing that his embassy is "a neutral party. "He confirmed that de la Cruz will be sent to Abu Dhabi for a medical checkup within 24 to 48 hours.
Al-Jazeera television aired Tuesday a videotape filmed by the kidnappers showed de la Cruz thanking the Philippine government for withdrawing its troops from the country in order to save his life.
The TV said that the now freed hostage could be heard thanking his country's President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for withdrawing the 51 Philippine soldiers from Iraq.
"He assured his family that he would return to them very soon," al Jazeera said.
The Philippine government eventually complied to the kidnapper's demand and withdrew its troops from Iraq as the last Filipino soldiers left their base Monday and crossed into Kuwait.
The Philippines' decision has come under sharp criticism from its closest allies, including the United States, who said it would endanger other troops here.
The Iraqi government warned Monday that the pullout would encourage terrorists. Insurgents have taken dozens of hostages in hopes of accomplishing their goals.
De la Cruz, 46, was abducted before two weeks while driving into Iraq from Saudi Arabia by a group calling itself the Khaled Ibn al-Walid Brigade, linked to the militant Islamic Army in Iraq, who demanded the Philippine government to withdraw its troops from Iraq.
(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2004)
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