Friday, July 23, 2004 Angelo swears off Middle East jobs for good
MANILA -- Angelo dela Cruz is home again. The truck driver arrived home Thursday after a harrowing 17-day hostage ordeal in Iraq that prompted the early withdrawal of Philippine troops.
"I will never return to Iraq or any other Arab country," the 46-year-old said, shortly after he flew in from Abu Dhabi with his wife, his brother and several officials who helped negotiate his release from insurgents.
"I'll just try to look for a job here," dela Cruz told a news conference after a tearful reunion with more than 50 relatives, including seven of his eight children.
Malacaņang called on all Filipinos to celebrate today as a day of thanksgiving and prayer for dela Cruz's release.
Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, in issuing Proclamation 680, said it was time for the Philippines to express its thanksgiving "tempered by the awareness that the Filipino people live in dangerous times and that we must work to create a more peaceful world."
Dela Cruz was kidnapped by an Iraqi militia group on July 8 after delivering oil from Saudi Arabia. He was released last July 20.
Sons, daughters and other relatives embraced the long-haired and craggy-faced ex-hostage and burst into tears after he passed through a VIP entrance at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, wearing a baseball cap and white shirt marked "I am a Filipino."
"I wish to thank President Arroyo and the government for giving foremost consideration to my safety," he said in a brief arrival statement. "I will never forget this."
Palace spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that President Arroyo will deliver a policy speech at the foreign affairs department today.
Dela Cruz said his captors treated him well, but refused to comment extensively on international criticism of the military pullout: "All that I can say is that I am thankful to the President for her decision."
"I am very happy," said six-year-old Jeric, as he snuggled up close to his father, whom he has not seen in a year.
His kidnappers dumped dela Cruz at the gates of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, a day after the last 34 members of the Filipino force left Iraq and went to Kuwait.
Soon after, Arab television reported that six other foreign truck drivers-two Kenyans, three Indians and an Egyptian-were abducted by a group that threatened to kill them if their Kuwaiti employer did not withdraw from Iraq.
Dela Cruz and his family were later driven to a government ministry where they were to spend the night before returning to their village of Buenavista, Mexico, Pampanga.
The village declared a holiday today for the truck driver, whose plight called attention to the risks Filipinos take abroad just to earn more for their families.
Dela Cruz arrived at 1:50 p.m. Thursday along with his wife Arsenia and a brother, to a tumultuous welcome at the airport.
They arrived on board a Gulf Air Flight 254 from Abu Dhabi, accompanied by special envoy on Middle East concerns Roy Cimatu, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis and Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas.
Cimatu said that before they left for Manila, the party repeated their requests to the governments of Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia not to allow Filipinos, particularly drivers, to enter Iraq through their borders.
Dela Cruz's wish? Privacy so he can spend time with his family. (AFP)
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