The Philippine military has confirmed the Philippine troops in Iraq will be pulled out gradually in view of the development of the latest hostage crisis.

There will be a gradual pullout of Philippine troops in Iraq if Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo orders such a withdrawal, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Lucero, the military spokesman, told Xinhua by phone on Tuesday.

"At the moment there is no such order but the order will be given and we should be prepared for a phased and gradual pullout," he added.

However, Lucero did not give the specific date of the troops pullout.

Meanwhile, the abductors of Angelo de la Cruz, a Philippine truck driver who was kidnapped in Iraq on Wednesday, have reportedly promised to release him Tuesday.

De la Cruz, 46, was abducted as he drove into Iraq from Saudi Arabia by the group calling itself "Khaled Ibn al-Walid Brigade".

A source from the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad said the apparent promise came moments after Deputy Foreign Secretary Rafael Seguis told the Arabic channel al-Jazeera that the Philippines would withdraw its humanitarian force "as soon as possible."

However, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs has not confirmed the news of the troops withdrawal as of pressing time.