MANILA, July 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Crowds of people and a grand welcome was waiting Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz as he arrived at his hometown of Mexico in the northern Philippine province of Pampanga province on Friday.

    As soon as De la Cruz came down from his vehicle, a happy and frenzied crowd rushed to hug him and his family, the ABS-CBN news channel broadcast live. A feast to welcome de la Cruz will be given at nearby school grounds.

    The De la Cruz family spent the night at the Department of Social Welfare and Development compound in Quezon, Metro Manila before proceeding to Mexico.

    In the afternoon, De la Cruz is set to attend Catholic mass in Carmen, Pangasinan also in the north with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

    De la Cruz, who was held hostage by Iraqi insurgents for almosttwo weeks, arrived at the Manila international airport and thanked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Thursday for saving his life.

    The government pulled out its 51-member humanitarian team from Iraq to save de la Cruz's life, which is straining its ties with the United States.

    US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone to Manila left Thursday for consultations in Washington to "reevaluate" relations with the Philippines, the embassy said, while the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs is also reviewing and re-examining their foreign policy with the United States and Arab countries. Enditem     

Filipino hostage back home after ordeal

Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with "I Am A Filipino" slogan, released Filipino hostage Angelo Dela Cruz speaks to the crowd shortly upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday, July 22, 2004 in Manila, Philippines. Dela Cruz, now a national icon, came home to a hero's welcome Thursday as the Philippines briefly put aside the controversy over the government's concession to insurgents in Iraq who had threatened to behead him. (Xinhua photo)