Phillipines succumbs to terrorists' threat

Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister Rafael Seguis said that the Phillipines are to withdraw their forces from Iraq "as soon as possible," in a statement,he read out on al Jazeera television. This statement is very much contrasting to Sunday's President Gloria Arroyo's blunt statement in which she rejected terrorists' demand.

Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister Rafael Sequis read a statement on Aljazeera addressing the captors.

"We are responding to your request and are to withdraw our humanitarian contingent in Iraq as soon as possible," Sequis said.

Earlier, a purported Iraqi group calling itself the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade threatened to behead de la Cruz by Tuesday unless Manila cave in to their demands.