Militants extend Filipino hostage’s execution date

THE kidnappers of a Philippine hostage in Iraq have extended by nine days their deadline for Manila to withdraw its troops or see him executed, a senior diplomat said yesterday.

"I am told that the deadline has been extended by nine days till July 20. This has given us hope that the hostage is alive and the kidnappers are realising that he has nothing (against them),” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

He refused to provide further details or say whether he or other officials were directly or indirectly in contact with the kidnappers.