| CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Philippine truck driver Angelo de laCruz, who was kidnapped by an Iraqi militant group this week, madehis last appeal for life in a videotape aired by pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV channel Saturday.
"To President Gloria Arroyo, please withdraw the troops from Iraq," said the hostage, who was allowed by his captors to make the final appeal before his execution.
"To my colleagues in the Saudi company and all Filipinos heading to Iraq, I advise you not to come to Iraq because of the problems and the fact that the Iraqi police can not protect you, as what happened to me," said de la Cruz.
De la Cruz, 46, was abducted as he drove into Iraq from Saudi Arabia by a group calling itself the "Khaled Ibn al-Walid Brigade".
The kidnappers have given Manila until Sunday to agree to pullout its 51 soldiers and police from Iraq, saying they would behead de la Cruz otherwise.
Philippines Vice President Noli de Castro said Friday that the government "will not be cowed and be blackmailed by acts of terrorism."
A day before, President Arroyo had barred government labor agencies from sending contract workers to Iraq.
Two Bulgarians and one Egyptian were also taken hostages in Iraq. There was no news on their fate. Enditem
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