Pipol Power

After weeks of potest, it seems the Filipino military contingent in Iraq is finally leaving. The protests against the deployment of Philippine troops heightened after Angelo De la Cruz, a truck driver from Mexico, Pampanga, was taken hostage. The Iraqi rebels threatened to kill Angelo unless the Philippines withdrew its troops from their country.  President Arroyo was caught inbetween the public opinion, which favored a pull-out, and the pressure from the US government to maintain a hardline stance. The domestic public opinion, and pressure by progressive groups, proved to be decisive and convinced president Arroyo that a pull-out was the only way to avoid her own political isolation so early after her contested victory in the polls.
 
Arroyo concedes...

A friend of mine got hurt last Tuesday when a peaceful rally on Plaza Miranda in downtown Manila was dispersed. The police used water cannons and truncheons to drive the crowd away.  I was out of town and could contact her only this morning when she reassured me she was doing fine after losing lots of hair and blood and gaining seven stitches. Apparently she hadn't lost her fighting spirit either. (Text / pictures)