To appreciate the context of the President's decision to withdraw the Filipino troops in Iraq in exchange for the life of Angelo de la Cruz, one would have to take into account a few of the realities we face.

The first is the reality of the nation's collective guilt over the deployment of millions of its desperate citizens to various work sites in the world where it cannot protect them. Our government has called them "modern heroes," in recognition of the billions of dollars they send home every year. But this compliment hardly repays the social costs that they must often bear in the form of broken lives and dysfunctional families.

The second is the reality of an unexplained foreign policy of intervening in a distant war without a strong moral and legal warrant.

And the third is the reality of a politically insecure President who has the unenviable task of explaining and justifying the Philippines' continuing involvement in a war that a growing number of Americans now consider unnecessary.

The convergence of these three political and sociological realities-an unjustified war, a helpless Filipino OFW, and a politically insecure President-lends a unique quality to this crisis. The situation would have been different if the victim had not been an OFW but a member of the Filipino peacekeeping contingent.

Ms Arroyo's foreign critics are thus being too harsh when they call her a weak and indecisive President. Had she ignored the demand of the Iraqi extremists, she would now be facing a full-blown popular uprising from which even George W. Bush would not be able to rescue her.

The first obligation of a government is always to its people, wherever they may be. A president who forgets that will not be around for long.

by Columnist Randy David*
Inquirer Editorial & Opinion

A new world record has been set in the 100-meter dash. It was set by Filipino troops fleeing Iraq... Fifty-one? P. Diddy has a bigger posse than that. 'Come on, everybody in the Humvee. We're leaving.'

US talk show host Jay Leno*
on his top rating late night talk show "The Tonight Show"

We have shown our courage in Bataan and Corregidor and every other field where we engaged in battle... All we can say is that what is first and foremost is the national interest of the Philippines.

He (Angelo dela Cruz) has become the Filipino Everyman: a symbol of the hardworking Filipino who has ventured to foreign lands to earn an honest living... We admire Angelo for his sacrifice and courage and we all want him home but it may take time.

presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye*

Who's Jay Leno? Why should we listen to him? He leads a colorful life as a commentator who makes a living out of twisting facts and making weirdo comments about anything.

Administration Senator Rodolfo Biazon*

I think that is a precipitate judgment on our people. The truth of the matter is that negotiations are still going on [for the safe release of truck driver De la Cruz].

Opposition Senator Aquilino Pimentel

Mr. Jay Leno, the undisputed king of late-night shows in the United States, is nothing but a swashbuckling apologist and political b***sh*t who will do everything and anything for the US' immoral invasion and occupation of Iraq... Mr. Leno should apologize and atone for his irresponsible comments against the Filipino people's decision to pull out the country's troops in Iraq. He is in no moral and political position to strike statements like that.

Pamalakaya pokesperson Gerry Albert Corpuz*

There's an atmosphere of fear in America right now that is deadly. Everyone is too career-conscious

There was a moment about a year ago when you couldn't say a word about anything in this country for fear of your career being shot down by people saying you are un-American.

On the one hand, you have someone like Toby Keith, who has come out and been very supportive of the Bush administration and the war in Iraq - which is OK because America is a democracy and Toby Keith is entitled to say what he thinks and feels.

But, on the other hand, the Dixie Chicks got shot down in flames last year for criticising the president. They were treated like they were being un-American, when in fact they have every right to say whatever they want about him because he's freely elected, and therefore accountable.

by Sir Elton John*
Singer, composer, artist

It's an exciting experiment.

The issues and problems and challenges we face in Iraq really go entirely across the board.

I think all the ingredients for success are there.

The United States’ mission here now is “to support and assist the government and the people of Iraq as they take full responsibility for the exercise of their sovereignty here.

The intent is to empower them entirely in this area so that over time an American military presence will not be necessary.

by John D. Negroponte *
US Ambassador to Iraq

It it better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

by Mark Twain
US Author

If you come to a fork in the road, take it.

by Yogi Berra
(1925- ) US baseball player and coach

The official vote tally for the presidency and vice-presidency was announced on June 20th. It brought to an end the prolonged and acrimonious deliberations of a 22-member joint congressional panel tasked with examining the certificates of canvass (CoCs) received from electoral districts around the country. Confirmation of the results was delayed by opposition-led disputes over procedure, and amid (unproven) accusations of vote-rigging.

Charlie*

Arroyo's vice presidential running mate, Noli de Castro, also won according to the House-Senate Committee tasked with counting the votes. Supporters of Poe, a popular former action-movie star, are claiming that vote certificates were modified to rob Poe of about 2 million votes. Poe's party said pro-Arroyo lawmakers used their large numbers in Congress to prevent the opposition from presenting evidence of the electoral fraud.

Hotchook

The Arroyo administration is smug about its claims that the elections were "generally peaceful and orderly," yet the last elections illustrated the worst of Philippine politics including - the massive use of government resources for GMA's campaign, rampant cheating and manipulation to secure GMA's victory, and the use of terror tactics against GMA's political rivals and progressive party-lists. The government practically tells us to accept massive corruption, fraud and state terrorism as part of our electoral culture. Whether GMA admits it or not, her railroaded proclamation by the administration-controlled Congress further exposed the rottenness of Philippine politics under the current political and economic system.

Jmekosh*

Even though the public wasn't leaping ahead in the polls, she later climbed to and stayed at the number one spot until the elections. She was campaigning against a film actor by the name of Fernando Poe, Jr. who just happened to be good friends with Estrada, not to mention the senator who had accused her husband of corruption. Despite these obsticals, she was able to win the elections this year and assume the Presidency last month, June 2004.

SpeedRacr

Arroyo isn't without her own set of problems. Not everyone within the Phillipines supports the new leader. On the eve of her inauguration, police dealt with about a thousand supporters of Fernando Poe, one of the presidential candidates Arroyo defeated in the recent election. Many of these supporters feel that Arroyo rigged the election, a charge that Arroyo strongly denies.

Kyrahjade

Currently, the President of the Philippines is Gloria Arroyo. She was freely elected and rather a ray of sunshine after other recent US embraced rulers of the country. But, she's still pro-US and has been a supporter of the war in Iraq. It doesn't hurt that the Filipino economy relies on the US Military employing a large portion of its employed workforce.

J Leroy

Fernando Poe Jr. (An actor friend of Estrada’s) decided to run against Arroyo and after the election the government was unable to come up with a clear-cut winner, as accusations of election fraud and voting irregularities surfaced. Depending on whose side tells the tale, Poe won or Arroyo won. They decided to have the election solved by recounting the votes under supervision of representatives from both camps, however with the ballot box stuffing, disappearance of poll workers, and a few other problems this was probably not the best way to do things. Finally on June 23 they proclaimed Arroyo the winner amid protests from a good portion of the Filipinos. Talking to different Filipino’s you get pretty much a split of opinions. Basically Arroyo supporters say it’s great she was elected and non-supporters feel robbed of their vote through a bogus recount process that was unconstitutional.

RWO

President Gloria Arroyo of the Phillippines has been blasted by the United States for caving to terrorism. But she wasn't elected to support Bush's crumbling coalition. In fact, she barely beat Fernando Poe Junior and faces more pressing problems from her constituents. Many of Arroyo's rivals believe the election was a fraud and stand ready to pounce on Arroyo for any perceived mistakes. The economy in the Phillippines and government spending are also taking their toll on the recently re-elected President.

Robert Brigham

I'm not afraid. Not afraid whatsoever. I'm very sorry it had to come to this.

by Domestic Diva Martha Stewart*