Baghdad, July 9 (Reuters): Militants in Iraq held a Filipino and two Bulgarians under death threat today to press demands for Manila’s troops to go home and for US-led forces to release prisoners.

There was confusion about another apparent abduction as a Lebanese-born US Marine who turned up in his native country after going missing in Iraq in June left Beirut for a US military base in Germany.

The kidnappings have increased pressure on Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s government, trying to assert its authority after taking over from US-led occupiers on June 28, but still dependent for security on 160,000 mainly American troops.

Bulgaria, which has contributed 470 troops to the US-led multinational force in Iraq, vowed not to bow to demands by the kidnappers of its nationals, identified by state radio as civilian truck drivers Ivailo Kepov and Georgi Lazov.

Private BTV channel said the two, working for a Bulgarian company, had unloaded cars from their trucks in the northern city of Mosul and had been on the way home when seized. “Bulgaria is a stable state ... and we cannot expect it would change its foreign policy because of one or another group,” foreign minister Solomon Passy said.

The family of Filipino driver Angelo de la Cruz appealed to the Manila government to bring him home as diplomats tried to contact the militants threatening to decapitate him.