BAGHDAD, 13 July 2004 — Kidnappers of a Filipino truck driver rejected an apparent ransom offer from Manila and said he had been taken to an undisclosed site for possible execution. Al-Jazeera television quoted the kidnappers yesterday as saying they had extended by 24 hours to Monday night the deadline for the Philippines to agree to their demand to withdraw troops by July 20.
The Arabic satellite channel said Angelo dela Cruz had been moved “to the place of implementing the punishment and was given food and water.”
“He asked his body to be handed over to his country as well as another day to send his last message to his president,” Al-Jazeera said, showing a letter it said it received from the group.
The channel briefly showed a videotape in which it said Dela Cruz appealed to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to swiftly withdraw troops from Iraq so he could return to his family alive.
Manila has said it will not change its plans to withdraw its 51 humanitarian troops on Aug. 20, and sent its top Middle East diplomat to Baghdad to negotiate for Dela Cruz’s release and has pleaded with the militants not to kill him.
A diplomat in Manila earlier said the kidnappers had told Manila through intermediaries that a cash ransom was out of the question. It was unclear how much was offered.
“The captors are committed to their cause and said they cannot be bought,” said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.
“Filipino negotiators are using Al-Jazeera TV as intermediary,” the diplomat said. Executives of the television station have advised Filipino diplomats not to negotiate directly with the kidnappers, the diplomat said. “Diplomats are also considered targets. They can demand heaven and earth from the (Philippine) government for their heads,” the diplomat added.
Iraqi interim President Ghazi Al-Yawer yesterday threatened to use a “very sharp sword” to fight insurgents and anyone else threatening the security of the country.
“Terrorism isn’t just killing and blowing up bombs, whoever threatens the ordinary life of the people is a terrorist,” Yawer told reporters. “We have a very sharp sword ready for anyone who threatens the security of this country.”
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan named Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, as the new UN envoy to Iraq. Qazi has been ambassador to the United States since September 2002 and previously served as Pakistan’s envoy to China, India, Russia, Syria and the former East Germany.
Annan has already indicated that the new envoy would be based in the Iraqi capital despite the security situation, which has kept him from sending international UN personnel back to the country.
Also yesterday, France and Iraq restored diplomatic relations that were severed before the Gulf War 13 years ago. The countries plan to exchange ambassadors as soon as possible, the French Foreign Ministry said.
— Additional input from agencies
