Case Study: Angelo Dela

Cruz

Submitted by:
Arah Camille Almelor
Rona Ysais
IV- ISP

Submitted to:

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 Ms. Jean Franco
I. Introduction

A study of foreign policy is about the conduct and practice of relations between

different actors, primarily states in the international system. Diplomacy, intelligence,

trade negotiations and cultural exchanges all form part of the substance of Foreign policy.

(Alden, 2006) Foreign policies necessarily concerned with the boundaries between the

external relations of a nation and the internal or its domestic situation. There are three

levels in foreign policy analysis, the international level, national (state) level, and the

individual level.

According to General Carlos P. Romulo, foreign policy is the pursuit of certain

objectives for the enhancement of national interest and also the reflection of hopes, plans

and aspirations of a given people in a given time. He stated that foreign policies should

be viewed as a dynamic process that is always subject to change in emphasis as the

national interest may require. Foreign policy lies in the hands of the President and of the

Department of Foreign Affairs.

In the Philippine setting, each President who have served the republic have left

their own legacies of foreign policy. Some of them mostly dealt with bilateral and

multilateral relations with other strong and powerful nations, while some emphasized the

interests and needs of the country. Also, they have emphasized the strong and committed

relation of the Philippines with the United States, starting from the first president of the

third republic which was President Manuel Roxas up to the present time.

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 Those foreign policies that we have since Roxas’ time somehow helped the

Philippines to build a strong relations with its neighbors and allies. But in a local sense, it

does not help or solve the problem of the majority, and it does not answer what the

masses needs. In our present time, we may have gone a long way in changing our foreign

policies, but the fact still remains that the nation needs to be re-ordered and that foreign

policies must serve the interest of the whole country.

Philippines is facing realities of attaining economic growth, enhancing its national

security and protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare and interests of the

Filipino overseas. Foreign policies today strengthen the needs of the majority including

the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and also emphasizing the nation’s strong relations

with other countries who serve as dominant nations in terms of its economic and military

might.

According to Ms. Charmaine Ramos, an international economics professor,

“Globalization has forced the Philippine economy to remain export-oriented and import-

dependent”. The Philippines is producing more for the international market than for its

domestic needs. Majority of its population are poor people who do not have their own

land to live and till, they only resort to work for multi-national firms and local landlords.

Finding work overseas is often much entertained rather than finding work in one’s

homeland. The quality of education attained is one of the most important factors a person

must obtain in order for him to be hired. Unfortunately, not all people in the Philippines

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are literate or have finished their education, while others do not obtain education at all.

That is one of the reasons why Philippines is known as one of the largest labor exporters

in the world. These OFWs take the risk of working and living abroad to earn money to be

able to sustain their family’s needs at home. Philippines is producing 8 millions of OFWs,

mostly in the Middle East. It resonate the Philippine foreign policy that is why the

government will continue to provide progressive consular and legal assistance to

Filipinos abroad. And will also promote the welfare of these OFW by aggressively

forging new bilateral agreements with the host countries.

II. Brief background of Angelo Dela Cruz

Angelo dela Cruz, 46 years old, a father of

eight children who grew up in a poor family in

Buenavista, Pampanga, Philippines. In 1996, he

sought work overseas in order to send his children

to school and provide for the basic needs of his

family. He worked as a truck driver and was based in Saudi Arabia. After years of work

abroad, his family in the Philippines still lives under very simple conditions. (Tulloch,

2004)

Like many other Filipinos, Angelo took the risk of working abroad just to earn

money that he could send to his family back in the Philippines. Despite of the danger of

living in a foreign country, where there is no assurance of one’s protection and security

from any harmful and unexpected situation.

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III. The Main Issue

On July 08, 2004, the Philippine government was alarmed with the news they

received from the Middle East. In a news clipping entitled, Don’t Go to Iraq, Hostage

Tells to Fellow OFWs, stressed that an OFW named Angelo De la Cruz, was captured

while he was driving his fuel truck from Saudi Arabia to Iraq. It was believed that Dela

Cruz was snatched Wednesday, July 4, 2004. Four days later, in a film clip shown on

Arab television channel, Al-Jazeera. A hooded group of armed men, who called

themselves Khaled ibn al-Walid, warned they would behead Dela Cruz unless all Filipino

troops leave Iraq within 72 hours.

In the article released by the CNN entitled,

Filipino “Freed when Troops Leave”, the Iraqi

captors send out a video tape saying that they

would treat Angelo de la Cruz like prisoner of

war and that they would release him, only if the

Philippine Government will comply to what they

will demand. The claim of the Iraqi captors against the Philippine government is for

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to withdraw its 51 Soldiers and police officers from

Iraq. At first President Arroyo is firmed in saying that the troops would stay until their

mission would have been completed. She caved in, however, and ordered the withdrawal

after the rebels announced a few days later on the same channel that they were now

bringing the hostage to the execution site.

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 Martin Regg Cohn of the Toronto Star stated that "...the political culture of the

Philippines is quite different, with Filipinos virtually unanimous in urging their

government to do whatever it takes to save the life of overseas worker Angelo de la Cruz.

That's because de la Cruz, a father of eight, is considered a national hero — not for

anything this unassuming truck driver has done, but because of who he represents: the

Overseas Filipino Worker, known as an OFW in local parlance. About 7.5 million

Filipinos work abroad, amounting to roughly 10 per cent of the country's burgeoning

population. The OFWs send home remittances of more than $10 billion a year, making

them mythical figures for their families living in impoverished rural villages across the

archipelago”. According to the Philippine Constitution Article 2, section 7 “Our State

shall pursue an independent foreign policy”, meaning the Philippine government could

exercise its sovereignty in making decision, wherein no other states can dictate or

intervene.

In the situation given, President Arroyo after having negotiation with the Iraqi

captors, made her final decision to totally withdraw the 51 soldiers and police officers in

Iraq. On July 18, 2004, all troops hurriedly left the country in an effort to save the life of

Angelo de la Cruz. De la Cruz was released last July 20, 2004, two weeks after the

hostage began. He arrived at the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad from a gray Mercedes,

he was wearing a slate-gray polo shirt, with his hair long and shaggy. On the other

hand, his wife Arsenia De la Cruz was blissfully waiting for him in the neighboring

country, Jordan.

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 Upon the arrival of De La Cruz in the

Philippines, relatives and friends welcomed him with

tears of joy while shouting his name. Wealthy

Filipinos have taken pity on his family. Angelo’s

appreciation and gratitude to President Arroyo,

saying "Thank you, thank you for the president that I am here now," dela Cruz said. "I ...

want to thank the people who supported me and to everyone else, I thank them will all my

heart." The government granted his children full scholarships from grade school to

college and assured them of jobs after graduation. Also, a real estate company donated a

house to be built in the following days.

IV. Role of Different Actors

The Philippines is among the first countries to sign up in the so-called Coalition

of the Willing, an alliance by the US and Great Britain in preparation for the invasion of

Iraq. Also, the Philippines is one of the supporters of the War on terror by the US

government. With that said, the statements and decision of President Arroyo confused

other nations especially the US, which led to criticisms and condemnation from the super

powers.

a. Role of the Philippine Government

The decision of President Arroyo to negotiate with Iraqi captors or giving in to

terrorist demands should not be an option, as it is against the international norm,

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according to the United States. Philippines tried to balance its effort in saving the life of

Angelo de la Cruz with its foreign policies. The protest on the streets of Manila by other

OFWs and people concerned has put pressure on the government to take immediate

action, even as it weakened ties with its allies. The confusion may have been deliberate as

President Arroyo seeks to maintain her support to the US led war on terrorism while

avoiding a possible domestic backlash if Angelo dela Cruz is beheaded.

"The Philippine government, consistent with its commitment, will withdraw its

Philippine humanitarian contingent forces in Iraq as soon as preparations for their

return to the Philippines are completed," Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis

told a Filipino reporter in Baghdad.

The withdrawal of troops by the Philippines has drawn strong criticism from Iraqi

and US officials with a fear that it will encourage terror groups to take more foreign

civilians hostages. The White House said that the Philippines sent “the wrong signal” to

terrorists. “You cannot negotiate with terrorists”, spokesman Scott McClellan said,

confirming that “we understand that they have made the decision to withdraw their 51

troops ahead of schedule.”

Several previous hostages of the captives from Japan and Korea did not push their

nation to withdraw their troops. The Philippines became the fifth country to withdraw

from the US-led coalition, after Spain, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and

Honduras, according to Reuters. The Filipino nation felt a personal connection to Dela

Cruz, “Angelo has become a Filipino `everyman,’ a symbol of the hardworking Filipino

seeking hope and opportunity,” President Arroyo said in her national address.

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 President Arroyo said that the millions of Filipino contract workers around the

world influenced her decision. “My government has a deep national interest in their well

being wherever they live and work,” Arroyo also said. “"It was a time of trial and a time

of triumph, I made a decision to bring our troops home a few days early in order to spare

the life of Angelo. I do not regret that decision.”

Despite of some criticisms and condemnation from the international community,

President Arroyo did not regret her decision. She noted that of the nine million Filipinos

abroad, 1.5 million were overseas workers in the Middle East, 4000 of them in Iraq, and

that she had the responsibility to ensure their safety.

After the De La Cruz incident, Arroyo’s administration immediately imposed a

travel ban to Iraq to prevent the crisis from happening again, as well as to protect the

aspirant OFWs from harm and danger in the said country.

b. Role of the International Community

The International Community came up with different reactions on what decision

President Arroyo may ended with. Some nation states which see things the same way as

the Philippine government and to those who also gives importance to their national

interest rather than the interest of their allies. To quote, Yayoi Tsuchida of Japan Council

against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, supported President Arroyo. He said that,

“We support millions of Filipino people in their demand for the withdrawal of the

Filipino forces from Iraq. We, of course, stand against abduction of civilians or terrorism

against them. But nothing justifies the ongoing occupation and operation of the foreign

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forces in Iraq. It is entirely wrong to sacrifice a life of an innocent citizen in order to

maintain the unjust occupation.

It is now fully proved that the attack on Iraq by the US and its allies was conducted on

the false ground. The sovereignty of Iraq should be returned to the people of Iraq with

any further delay. The occupation of Iraq by the foreign forces, which the Iraqi citizens in

consensus abhor, should be ended out of hand, and the reconstruction of Iraq must be

conducted under the UN control.

We call on the Filipino government to give top priority to the life of the hostage, and

make a decision to withdraw its forces from Iraq, standing for the cause that peace be

restored and that the sovereignty be given back to the Iraqi people”.

Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange, Code Pink: Women for Peace, a member

of the US largest anti-war coalition United for Peace and Justice, also supported the

Philippines’ decision, she said,

“ We here in the United States bear responsibility for the fact that Angelo dela Cruz's life

is hanging in the balance. Our government should have never dragged our troops and

the "coalition of the coerced" into this war, and we should not be sending thousands of

our unemployed to do the rebuilding that the Iraqis themselves are totally capable of

doing. We stand in sympathy with Angelo de la Cruz and his family, and we stand in

solidarity with the many thousands of Filipinos who tried to stop your government

from collaborating with this illegal invasion and are now trying to force your government

to end this collaboration. We are now at a time in history where the majority of Iraqis,

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Americans, Filipinos and world public opinion are calling for an end to the occupation

and understand full well that Iraq will never be sovereign until it is no longer occupied

by both foreign troops and foreign companies profiteering from the spoils of war. We call

on the government of the Philippines to sever its ties with this occupation and in the

process, to spare the life of Angelo de la Cruz. We call on our government here in the

United States to bring our troops home and let Iraqis get on with the job of rebuilding

their beleaguered nation”.

On the other side of the story, the decision of the Philippine government drew

condemnation from the leaders around the world. Being one of the Washington’s biggest

supporter in the war on terror, other nations including the United States protesting the

action, telling that giving in to terrorist demands should not be an option. According to

Maria Ressa, a CNN correspondent, “The Bush administration expressed concern and

confusion regarding the decision by the Philippine government.”

Philippines rely on US financial aid to support its economy and fight its domestic

wars. The fact that Philippines and the US have a strong relations and commitment, this

crisis is one of the lowest points that could either strengthen or rupture their relationship.

The withdrawal of troops by the Philippine government weakened the US-led

coalition in Iraq, following Spain’s pullout after the deadly terror attacks on Madrid’s

train system. However, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Philippine

Ambassador Cristina Ortega that "countries cannot give into the demands of terrorists

because we would all pay the price."

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 With the firm decision of the Philippine government in pulling out its troops from

Iraq, two of Washington's closest allies in Asia, South Korean and Japan, had to deal with

their own hostage situations. Both nation did not give in to opposition, they refused to

withdraw their troops from Iraq. Korea suffered from the beheading of an interpreter by

Islamic militants in Iraq after they rejected the demands to cancel the deployment and

pullout 600 military engineers and medics.

V. Summary

Philippines is a sovereign nation which strongly promotes the welfare of its

people. With its unstable economy and growing population, many people are working

overseas to improve the lives of their families. Philippines is one of the top exporters of

laborers around the world. With more than 8 million OFWs working and living abroad,

mostly in the Middle East, these people take the risk of working in a place where safety is

unsound. The reason why they resort in working abroad rather than working in one’s

homeland is that there are less opportunities available in the country. There is a growing

population of unemployed people, and that they only think of working abroad as their last

surviving option.

Angelo De La Cruz took the risk of living and working abroad to be able to

sustain his family’s needs. He went to Saudi Arabia in 1996 to work as a truck driver in a

private company in Saudi. Angelo was abducted on July 8, 2004 by the rebel group

known as Khaled ibn al-Walid, demanding for an immediate withdrawal of troops by the

Philippine government, or they will pursue the beheading to Angelo. With two weeks of

negotiation by the Philippine government to the terrorist, the decision was finally made as

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the Philippines will withdraw all its troops ahead of the scheduled time. July 20, 2004,

Angelo was released and sent to the Philippine Embassy for the preparation of his arrival

in the Philippines.

Despite of some drawn criticisms to Arroyo’s decision in pulling out its troops

from Iraq, President Arroyo stood firm and has no regrets. Though the move was

dangerous instance that may put other allies in danger. President Arroyo did not regret her

decision. She said that it is her duty to fulfill and serve the Filipino nation, though some

criticized her decision, especially the international community. President Arroyo

sacrificed its relation to the US for the freedom of Angelo De La Cruz. Angelo became

the symbol to other OFWs, he has become a Filipino Everyman, a symbol of the

hardworking Filipino seeking hope and opportunity abroad. While others praised

President Arroyo for her virtuous decision in an effort to save the life of the innocent

OFW.

Ignacio Bunye, presidential spokesperson said that, "Our long-standing and

maturing relationship with the United States will survive this hostage crisis. Against all

the things that was said by the US and other allies, the Philippines will remain committed

and will continue its support in the global effort to combat terrorism and all its forms.

Bunye said, “The Philippines would maintain its strong stand against terrorism in the

face of the isolated event.”

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Bibliography:

Alden, C. [2006]. Foreign Policy Analysis. Retrieved last February 1, 2008 from
http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/current_students/programme_resources/lse/lse_pdf/furt
her_units/137_foreign_policy/137_foreign_policy_analysis_2006.pdf

The rest are in the news clippings.

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