A Filipino truck driver being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq said today he was coming home soon and thanked his government for agreeing to withdraw its peacekeepers from the country, according to video shown on Al-Jazeera television station.

Supporters of a Filipino hostage in Iraq cheered Manila’s lifesaving decision to withdraw troops from the war-torn nation, but the move was slammed by Washington and its allies, who said the US-led coalition would suffer.

The Philippine government was waiting for information today after making a direct appeal to the insurgents holding a Filipino hostage to spare his life.

The Philippine government made a direct appeal early today to insurgents holding a Filipino hostage, pleading with them to show mercy for the man they pledged to kill if the country did not agree to pull its troops from Iraq early.

Insurgents holding a Filipino truck driver hostage said today that he was still alive, but had been moved to the place where he was to be killed if the Philippines did not agree to remove their troops from Iraq, according to a video on the pan-Arab television station Al-Jazeera.

The Philippines today refused to withdraw its troops from Iraq sooner than their scheduled August 20 departure despite a threat by insurgents to behead a Filipino hostage unless they pulled out this month.

A Filipino worker being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq appealed to his country to give in to their demands and withdraw its small contingent of troops, according to a video shown on the Al-Jazeera television station today.