The Philippine military has confirmed that the Philippine troops in Iraq will be pulled out gradually in view of the development of the hostage crisis. 

There will be a gradual pullout of Philippine troops in Iraq if Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo orders such a withdrawal, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Lucero, the military spokesman, told Xinhua on Tuesday by phone.

"At the moment there is no such order but the order will be given and we should be prepared for a phased and gradual pullout," he added.

However, Lucero did not give the specific date of the pullout.

Angelo de la Cruz, 46, a Philippine truck driver, was abducted last week as he drove into Iraq from Saudi Arabia by the group calling itself "Khaled Ibn al-Walid Brigade."

Late Monday, Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister Rafael Seguis said on the pan-Arab television station al-Jazeera that his country would withdraw its forces from Iraq "as soon as possible" to save the life of the Filipino hostage.

"In response to your request, the Philippines...will withdraw its humanitarian forces as soon as possible," said Seguis, who was in Baghdad working to get de la Cruz freed.

Seguis gave no date for the withdrawal, and Foreign Ministry officials in Manila were reportedly holding an emergency meeting.

"I hope the statement that I read will touch the heart of this group," said Seguis adding that "we know that Islam is the religion of peace and mercy." The official began his appeal with the words "in the name of Allah."

"I appeal to you and to your kind hearts as Muslims to please release Angelo de la Cruz so that he can return to his family and children," the official said.

The wife and brother of de la Cruz arrived in Jordan on Monday to appeal for his release.

To save the life of de la Cruz, the kidnappers have demanded the Philippines move forward by one month the planned pullout of its 51-member peacekeeping force in Iraq.

Arroyo's government in Manila had rejected the demand, insisting on pulling out its troops on Aug. 20 as planned.

The kidnappers have extended the deadline of the hostage's execution to Monday for Manila to agree to pull out its troops.

Washington seems to have heard nothing from the Philippine government other than the previous promise from one of its closest supporters.

"We applaud President Arroyo's decision not to give in to terrorists and not to agree to an early withdrawal of Filipino forces," spokesman of the Statement Department Richard Boucher

told a news briefing in Washington on Monday.

He spoke highly of the relations between the United States and the Philippines, noting Philippine President Arroyo and the Philippine people have long been strong and loyal allies in the war against international terrorism.

US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone earlier expressed support for Arroyo, saying "she's shown a deep, deep care for this hostage but also careful of the country's long-term interests."

Arroyo's handling of the crisis has drawn criticism. About 400 protesters marched to the presidential palace Monday to demand the withdrawal of Filipino troops from Iraq.

Many countries have been mired in a wave of hostage taking incidents in Iraq in recent months. Militants have used it to try to force foreign troops to leave.

Besides the Filipino, two Bulgarians and one Egyptian were also taken hostages in Iraq. There was no news on their fate.

A South Korean captive was beheaded last month after South Korea refused to drop its plans to deploy 3,000 troops in Iraq beginning in August. 

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2004)