In the end, people power has once again triumphed in the Philippines.

When Filipino truck driver Angelo dela Cruz was kidnapped in Iraq, the incident struck a nerve in the Philippines where over seven million of its citizens toil abroad to make a decent living for their families back home.

Dela Cruz quickly became the symbol of the hardships faced by overseas Filipino workers commonly referred to as OFWs.

He went to work in one the world's most dangerous places to raise money for his son's eye surgery. After he was kidnapped and put on TV, the pain was felt throughout the Southeast Asian nation.

Migrant workers around the globe joined leftist groups to demand that Manila order its army in Iraq home. In dela Cruz's home province of Pampanga, locals tied yellow ribbons. Suddenly everywhere in the Philippines people held vigils and prayed for the kidnapped man.

Arroyo

Despite the sharp rebukes from the White House and fears expressed by other nations who have troops in Iraq, Arroyo ordered the tiny Filipino military contingent of 51 in the occupied land to come home.

Hopefully by the time you read this dela Cruz will also be back home with his family as the insurgents who snatched him on July 7 and killed his Iraqi security guard, have promised they would free the 46-year-old father of eight once the last Filipino troops had left.

The Philippines is the fifth country to withdraw its troops from the US-led forces in Iraq earlier than planned, following Spain, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The Filipino flip-flop has been widely criticized abroad especially in the United States and Australia which fear a backlash of new hostage-taking.

But what Arroyo did was the right thing.

Her primary job is to protect the interest of Filipinos both at home and overseas, especially the 1.4 million of her countrymen and women in the Middle East.

The Americans understandably are peeved saying Manila is sending the wrong signals by giving into the demands of the kidnappers.

For the majority of Filipinos pulling the troops is the right signal.

The wrong one was to join the American-led coalition in Iraq which has not been able to prove any of its justifications for the invasion.

Arroyo may be alienated by her powerful allies and become an international pariah.

But at home she can hold her head up and be proud of not shying away from correcting the mistake of sending troops to Iraq.

The Asian Pacific Post

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Differing views from the Philippines

For once, [President Gloria Arroyo] seems to have done something agreeable to the whole nation, although after a lot of hesitation... The United States can grumble all it wants after the pullout but it cannot change the fact that it exacted a huge risk from the country when Mrs Arroyo threw her unqualified and even blind support to the international war on terror.

Daily Tribune editorial

The Philippine government... should not give in to demands by terrorists or criminals. If they choose to kill Angelo de la Cruz his blood would be on their hands. Our allies in war and peace too need to know if we mean what we say.

Manila Times editorial

Arroyo showed courage in choosing the life of Angelo without forgetting that she was elected as leader of every Filipino... If Washington is really a friend of the Philippines, it will respect any decision made by our government.

Commentator Arnold Clavio in Abante

When one yields to blackmailers, they tend to keep coming back for more.

Philippine Star editorial

The government's action was in response to the call of the hour and deserves to be commended.

Kabayan editorial

The Philippine contingent in Iraq is without any specific UN mandate... Manila waded with eyes closed into a war which is none of our business and we should get out of it while we can.

Malaya editorial

It is good that the government has decided to withdraw Filipino troops in Iraq. The Filipinos' anxiety in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Gulf will be reduced... [Washington] can handle it. The Philippines has its own problems that should be addressed. Enough of trying to impress the United States.

Philipino Star Ngayon editorial

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