Manila, July 8 (Reuters): The Philippines banned its citizens today from going to work in Iraq after militants took a Filipino hostage and threatened to behead him unless Washington’s staunch Asian ally withdraws its troops there.

Ministers met in emergency session, but made no decision on how to respond to the demand that Manila pull out its small force of about 50 humanitarian workers in what would be a symbolic blow to US efforts to stabilise the country.

The country’s top diplomat in Baghdad ended doubt over the nationality of a man shown by Arabic satellite channel al Jazeera dressed in an orange jumpsuit and kneeling before 3 gunmen.

“We confirmed it through our different contacts here in Baghdad and Qatar,” Ricardo Endaya said in an interview with Philippine television. “This is a confirmed kidnapping situation.”

ABS-CBN television station reported the hostage’s name as Angelo de la Cruz, who had been working as a truck driver.

Facing her first major test since winning a new term in May elections, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the ban on Philippine migrant workers heading to Iraq and sent her top West Asia envoy to Baghdad to assess the situation.

Saddam lawyers

Brandishing assault rifles and grenade launchers, masked Islamists threatened in a taped message today to behead any lawyers defending deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

“Saif al-Allah (The Sword of God) group, belonging to the Islamic Jihad, warns all those who defend the criminal file of the cowardly criminal Saddam ... that we will sever your necks before you arrive,” one gunman read from a piece of paper.