I am very, very happy. His (Angelo dela Cruz's) health is okay ... His family is waiting for him.

I would not let him go back to the Middle East another time.

Arsenia de la Cruz (Angelo's wife)*
while in Philippine Embassy-Amman

I'm happy to announce that our long national vigil involving Angelo [de] la Cruz is over. I thank the Lord Almighty for his blessings.

His health is good, his spirits high and he sends best wishes to every Filipino for their thoughts and prayers.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo*
on national television

I deeply regret the sloppiness involved, but I had no intention of withholding documents from the commission, and to the contrary, to my knowledge, every document requested by the commission from the Clinton administration was produced.

In the course of reviewing over several days thousands of pages of documents on behalf of the Clinton administration in connection with requests by the Sept. 11 commission, I inadvertently took a few documents from the Archives.

When I was informed by the Archives that there were documents missing, I immediately returned everything I had except for a few documents that I apparently had accidentally discarded.

by Sandy Berger *
President Clinton's national security adviser

Berger was allowed to take handwritten notes but also knew that taking his own notes out of the secure reading room was a "technical violation of Archive procedures, but it is not all clear to us this represents a violation of the law.

by Lanny Breuer *
Attorney for Mr. Berger

There should be no barriers to principled unity in a democratic nation. What is past is past and the people have decided to move forward. This nation is ready to heal its wounds, embrace a collective leadership with pure heart, and get back to work on its urgent priorities.

RP President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo*

For the greater good, the President and Bro. Eddie have decided to unite again. If this was true, we thank Bro. Eddie for heeding the genuine reconciliation offer of the President.

Davao City Reps. Prospero Nograles*

She (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) asked if I could be her adviser... I said I didn't need a government post, and that whoever was President, I would give my unsolicited advice if the national interest [was] at stake.

JILM Evangelist Eduardo "Bro. Eddie" Villanueva*
in a radio interview Tuesday

A reconciliation will always be in favor of GMA [Ms Arroyo], whether she's sincere or not... We all know [that] sometimes she does not keep her word.

Bangon spokesperson Luis Sison*
in a radio interview Tuesday

We respect the Philippine government's decision, but this came in response to demands from terrorist gangs.

This, in my view and the view of the Iraqi government, has set a bad precedent and sends the wrong messages. Terrorists won't be rewarded otherwise this will repeat itself.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari*
on Sunday at a joint news conference
with visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage

We too very much regret the decision of the Philippine government for the same reason as my esteemed colleague has outlined.

We have had differences of opinion before. We will have them again. That is what it means to be a sovereign government. They make sovereign decisions and we may not like it but we must respect it.

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage*
on a lightning 24-hour trip to Iraq

Moore is 'someone who cares about this country deeply and is trying to help.'

by Linda Ronstadt *
Entertainer

We live in a city where people come from all over the world to be entertained. We hired Ms. Ronstadt as an entertainer, not as a political activist.

Whether you are politically on the left or on the right is not the point. She went up in front of the stage and just let it out. This was not the correct forum for that.

Our first and only priority is the enjoyment of our customers. I made the decision to ask Miss Ronstadt to leave the hotel. A situation like that can easily turn ugly and I didn't want anything more to come out of it. There were a lot of angry people there after she started talking.

If she wants to talk about her views to a newspaper or in a magazine article, she is free to do so. But in a stage in front of four and a half thousand people is not the place for it.

by Bill Timmins *
President, Aladdin Casino

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