A Filipino hostage in Iraq is safe and not in danger of beheading, a foreign ministry official says, after the government began preparations to withdraw its troops in line with the hostage takers' demands.
Militants have threatened to kill truck driver Mr Angelo de la Cruz unless Philippine troops leave by July 20th, a month ahead of schedule, leaving President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with a dilemma between saving his life and maintaining her close alliance with Washington.
"He is safe and there is no more risk of him being executed," the foreign ministry official told reporters today, quoting a Philippine official in Baghdad close to the negotiations for the release of the hostage.
The official did not elaborate. Philippine officials wrongly said Mr De la Cruz was close to release on Saturday. Relatives have since been wary of celebrating hints of breakthroughs by negotiators. The foreign ministry said earlier it was preparing to withdraw troops from Iraq to save the life of the hostage, but it was unclear what action it had taken because the military said it had yet to receive orders to leave.
Meanwhile, Iraqi militants have killed a Bulgarian hostage and vowed to execute a second within 24 hours unless US-led forces freed prisoners. The Arabic television station Al Jazeerasaid it had decided not to broadcast a video tape from the militants showing the execution because it was too gruesome.
But Al Jazeera showed footage of three masked men with one of the Bulgarians kneeling before them in a blindfold and orange jumpsuit, typical of US jails and associated around the world with images of Muslims detained at Guantanamo Bay.
"I am speechless," said Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, whose country has contributed 470 troops to US-led forces in Iraq. His deputy Gergana Grancharova said: "We all saw the cruel video scenes. The news is true and shattering."
Government officials would not disclose which of the two truck drivers, Georgi Lazov (30) and Ivailo Kepov (32) had been killed. The men disappeared on June 27th.