The remaining members of the Philippine Humanitarian Contingent are finalizing the turnover of their responsibilities. Ambassador Roy Cimatu will accompany them in an exit call on the new Polish commander at Camp Charlie, in Babil province, Iraq, on Monday morning, 19 July.

After the call, the remaining contingent will then proceed to Kuwait and from there return to Manila by commercial flight. Arrangements for the return flight are being made by the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait. Their exact date and time of arrival in the Philippines will be announced as soon as details are available.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia D. Albert*

We must not do anything that can put Angelo’s life in danger... Any wrong signal or message could make them go crazy.

presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye*

But all the initial steps of government served no purpose in winning the release of de la Cruz. Clearly, all the show of grief and empathy and accommodating generosity were all intended to curb political fallout and had nothing to do with saving Angelo de la Cruz. All the reasons bandied about to rationalize the no-pullout policy were all but lame and only added insult to injury.

Typically Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she dumped Bush when it dawned on her that the hostage crisis in Iraq could result in the beginning of her end. Not surprising considering her track record for trading causes, alliances and friends when the situation favors her or in this case - threatens her. There are of course Dinky Soliman and Cito Lorenzo as 'exhibits A and B'.

Nasty things these bad decisions because they come back to haunt. For sure Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be experiencing more haunting in the days to come. Like death and taxes and the law of supply and demand, there is no escaping the law of karma.

by Online Columnist William M. Esposo*
Inquirer.net Editorial and Opinion

A few days ago I'd found a man in Australia who was more than willing to trade his iPod (3rd gen 15 gig) for my mz-n10 mini discman. So we decide to make a trade. We are to send out our portable things on an agreed-upon date, as well as providing each other with a valid tracking number... except mine was valid, his was not. That little Australian fucker now has my md and I am left with nothing, minus the 48 dollars I spent on Xpresspost-shipping. Now no need to drown myself in my stupidity, I just need to earn some dineros back (what with my unemployed self) so that I may be able to get one of those endearing mini iPod things! If they are even out yet.

by backdrifter*
posted on Silence Is Easy blog

If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers' ... if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men.

by Arnold Schwarzenegger *
Governor of California

It uses an image that is associated with gay men in an insulting way, and it was supposed to be an insult. That's very troubling that he would use such a homophobic way of trying to put down legislative leadership.

It's ironic that the governor would try to find a metaphor for weakness when his real problem is that we're being too strong.

by Sheila Kuehl *
California State Senator
Member Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus.

It's a forceful way of making the point to regular Californians that legislators are wimps when they let special interests push them around.

If they complain too much about this, I guess they're making the governor's point.

by Rob Stutzman *
Schwarzenegger Spokesman

She's a young girl who knows the governor and really likes him a lot and didn't find the term to be a positive term, and finds it to be derogatory.

It was no question a very, very insensitive comment to make. I personally am not intimidated or threatened by it, but I think it really is beneath Gov. Schwarzenegger.

by Fabian Nunez *
Democratic Assemblyman

When we come roaring out of this convention, everybody in America will know what John Kerry and John Edwards will mean to them.

by Terry McAuliffe*
Chairman, Democratic National Committee

What we hope will happen... is that people are going to get to know John Kerry much better.

They are going to get to know his values, his strength, his commitment to service.

by Mark Mellman*
Kerry pollster

Kerry is going to try to introduce himself to the American people as someone in the political middle, which is a place he hasn’t visited in 20 years.

by Steve Schmidt*
Bush campaign spokesman

The electorate is so clearly divided, and the number of undecided voters is so small, I think it’s unlikely that either side gets a very big convention bounce.

by Karlyn Bowman*
a poll analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.

We had a section in the magazine wherein we had to dress-up big women. It was hard to find stuff that would fit our models! Thank goodness for the Greenhills tiangge and the bazaars.

executive editor of Preview magazine Tara Santos*

Tara and I met through a mutual friend. We kept on complaining why we have to buy our stuff abroad... from our clothes to underwear. Sure, we have shops here that claim they cater to the plus–size market but when you check out the items — their biggest size in jeans is 30. That’s where the discrimination sets in. In the Philippines, if your waistline is 30, you are already considered big.

Full-figured women should be confident. If you think you’re overweight, then do something about it... exercise and follow a strict diet. However, if you’re big boned and athletically built, just accept your body.

Malu Fernandez*
who partnered with Tara, launched Luscious, a new era of smart and
sassy dressing; located at the 2nd floor of Gold Crest bldg., Glorietta 2

I looked upon it as a duty. I just wanted the war to be over, so we could get back home to our loved ones... I hope my missions were the last ones of their kind that will ever be flown.

retired Air Force general Charles W. Sweeney*
who piloted the B-29 bomber at age 25 that dropped an atomic
bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 killing 70,000 people

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*