Filipino community rally
in support of RP pullout

July 19, 2004

3 p.m.
Philippine Consulate
Sutter at Powell
San Francisco, California

WITH Angelo De La Cruz's life still on the line, concerned members of the Bay Area Filipino community rallied Monday in support of his rescue and of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's decision to pull Filipino troops out of Iraq.

There are more than 300,000 Filipino overseas contract workers in the Middle East. All these workers have
been placed in the line of fire by US military aggression in the area. At least four Filipino workers have been killed as a result of the US-led war, including three in Iraq and one in Saudi Arabia; many more may have gone unreported or escaped the attention of the Philippine government. Countless workers are likely to suffer as long as Filipinos have to leave their families to work in countries torn by US militarism.

"With violence escalating in Iraq, withdrawal of Filipino troops is an act of peace that will protect Filipinos and other innocent civilians" said Angelica Cabande of Filipinos for Global Justice Not War. "Philippine withdrawal is a pioneering step towards true security for all -- US military aggression is the greatest source of violence in Iraq and in the world. For violence to end in the Middle East, the US occupation must end."

Members of Filipinos for Global Justice Not War Coalition and Bayan USA are asking for a meeting with
Consul General Delia Rosal to express their hope that all 51 troops will be brought home as soon as possible, and
that this will be the first step toward complete Philippine disengagement from Bush's unjust war on Iraq and the Middle East.