On July 19, 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the pullout of the Philippine peace contingent out of Iraq to save the life of a Filipino truck driver who was taken captive by Iraqi rebels.
Angelito de la Cruz was abducted on July 4 of the same year while crossing the borders of Iraq. The Iraqi rebels threatened to behead him unless the Filipino peace contingent in Iraq was recalled.
After two weeks in captivity, De la Cruz was freed unharmed on July 20, 2004.
On this same day in 2001, Eduardo Z. Romualdez, former Philippine ambassador to the United States and Finance secretary died.
He was one of the three-member team (the two others being then Foreign Minister Carlos P. Romulo and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile) created for drafting the new US-RP bases agreement which provided for several significant changes during the Marcos era.
Among such revisions were: That aid given by the United States for the use of military bases be replaced with rental, and that Philippine territorial jurisdiction over the bases be recognized by the US government by allowing the Philippine flag to be flown alongside the US flag over the bases.
Romualdez was born on November 22, 1909.
Philippine News Agency
No comments:
Post a Comment