The President of the Republic of the Philippines revealed in a press conference that Filipino terrorist group Abu Sayyaf had plans to kidnap recently retired boxer, Manny Pacquiao. Abu Sayyaf is the same group that beheaded Canadian John Risdel on April 25, Monday.
"They allegedly even hatched plots to kidnap Manny Pacquiao or one of his children, as well as my sister Kris or one of her children, with the plan to use them in bargaining for the release of their cohorts," President Benigno Aquino III said via the Associated Press.
Pacquiao is one of the most well-known personalities in the Philippines, a boxing legend that won eight titles in eight weight divisions. He is also a Congressman as well as an aspiring Senatorial candidate this upcoming Philippine election on May 9.
The 37-year-old boxer recently hanged up his gloves to pursue his dream of becoming a senator and serve the Filipino people. He defeated Timothy Bradley on April 9 via unanimous decision in the third and final fight of their trilogy.
The Philippine president refused to give any more details regarding the plot targeting Pacquiao and his children. The Abu Sayyaf group made world headlines this week after they killed on their foreign hostages.
According to CNN Philippines, Risdel's head was found in Jolo, Sulu on Monday while his body was later discovered the next day. The terrorist group wanted a ₱300 million ransom to free him but the Canadian government refused to negotiate.
The Abu Sayyaf still has 20 foreign hostages who might get killed if no ransom is paid. The group's members were reportedly trained by international terrorist groups Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah.
The group's main goal is to have their own Islamic State in Southern Mindanao. However, they started becoming a kidnap-for-ransom group who only wants to gain profit from their hostages. The money they get is used to buy guns, bombs and other weapons.
The United Nations Security Council listed the Abu Sayyaf as an associate of Al-Qaeda since October 2001. On the other hand, the United States State Department blacklisted the group in 1997.
In 2014, the Abu Sayyaf pledged their loyalty to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria or ISIS via a YouTube video.The Philippine government is looking to retaliate against the terrorists and rescue the remaining hostages.
Check the video below for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's response to the beheading of one of his countryman.