22 July 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today gave a warm welcome for the members of  Team Iraq, commending them for a “job well done.”  The members of Team Iraq, lead by DFA Undersecretary for Special Concerns Rafael E. Seguis and Special Envoy for the Middle East Roy Cimatu, arrived in Manila with Angelo de la Cruz to a warm and emotional welcome, successfully accomplishing the instructions of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to exert all efforts to secure the safe release of the OFW truck driver.

The Team arrived with Mr. de la Cruz at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 1:45 p.m., aboard a Gulf Air flight from Abu Dhabi.   De la Cruz was freed 20 July 2004 ending two weeks of captivity following negotiations by Undersecretary Seguis and Ambassador Cimatu through Iraqi intermediaries.

From the airport, the team headed for the DFA where they briefed Secretary Albert on the result of their mission. The Secretary commended the team, saying, “the Filipino people, along with your colleagues at the Department, are proud with the success of your mission.”

At a press conference at the DFA following the Secretary’s briefing, Undersecretary Seguis told the media “we’ve got him,” referring to Angelo.  For his part, Ambassador Cimatu summed up the efforts of the Team with the words “Mission Accomplished.”

In reply to questions from reporters, Undersecretary Seguis dispelled rumors that the Team had paid ransom for Angelo’s release. “Not a single centavo was paid to anyone for the safe release of Angelo,” the Undersecretary clarified.

In recounting the team’s mission, Ambassador Cimatu said that the primary goal was for the team to secure the safe release of Angelo de la Cruz.  He said that initially, the team’s options were to choose between a rescue operation and talking to emissaries.  Soon, however, it became clear to him that the only viable option was to talk to emissaries.

Both Undersecretary Seguis and Ambassador Cimatu commended the efforts of their team members for successfully navigating through their contacts in Iraq, which eventually led them to contact de la Cruz’s abductors.

“I would like to thank our Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert, who monitored and guided the efforts of the Team even into the early morning hours,” Undersecretary Seguis said. “I would also like to thank Undersecretary Jose Brillantes and the other members of the Crisis Management Team for all the support they’ve given us from here all throughout our mission.”

Undersecretary Seguis expressed the team’s gratitude to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in bringing the team to Angelo de la Cruz. He also thanked Gulf Air Philippines for providing the airline tickets for de la Cruz and his wife for the journey home.

After the press conference, the Team headed for Malacañang where they will give a first-hand briefing to President Arroyo. - END