Manila: President Benigno Aquino III revealed Abu Sayyaf radicals had planned to abduct his sister, Kris Aquino, and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao in order to gain favour from Daesh.
In a statement released on the recent execution of Canadian mining executive John Ridsdel, Aquino said the latest Abu Sayyaf atrocity is part of a renewed campaign by the militant group to get noticed by Daesh, which over the last two years has undertaken similarly brutal attacks against their enemies.
“The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and various smaller terrorist groups and factions now want to align themselves with Daesh to gain access to the funds and resources of Daesh. From day one of my administration, they have had aspirations to conduct bombings in Metro Manila to catch the attention of Daesh,” the Philippine leader said.
Aquino said in order to draw the support of Daesh, Abu Sayyaf had tried to conduct a bombing campaign together with the remnants of an organised group of Muslim converts, the Rajah Sulaiman Movement.
“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. Threats against my own life have been investigated,” the president said.
Pacquiao is an internationally known Filipino boxer and Congress member and Kris is a local actress.
Aquino said the full resources of the state are being brought to bear on the ASG.
Aquino also said the execution of Ridsdel further fortified the Philippines’ resolve to put an end to kidnapping activities in the South.
“This murder was meant to terrorise our whole population. The Abu Sayyaf thought they could instill fear in us; instead, they have galvanised us even further to ensure justice is meted out,” Aquino said on Wednesday, three days after the militant group executed the Canadian former mining executive in Sulu.
Ridsdel, 68, was executed by the Abu Sayyaf after friends and family working to save him failed to come up with the ransom demanded by the Southern Philippines-based terrorist group.
The Canadian was kidnapped at the Holiday Oceanview Resort in Samal Island in Davao Oriental last September 21 along with compatriot Robert Hall, 50; Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad, 56; and Hall’s Filipina partner, Marites Flor.
The Philippine military had unleashed an all-out operation to rescue the remaining three hostages.
The kidnapping and the brutal execution of Ridsdel drew outrage worldwide, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying that the Canadian government “is committed to working with the Manila and international partners to pursue those responsible for this heinous act and bring them to justice.”
Sulu, Basilan and certain parts of Mindanao are known hotbeds for kidnap for ransom activities. Aside from Filipinos, a number of the kidnap victims are foreigners.
Last March, Abu Sayyaf abducted several crew members of a tugboat in Tawi-Tawi.
The Brahma 12 tugboat and the Anand 12 barge were carrying coal from Indonesia when suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen descended on them and held the crewmen hostage.
On Tuesday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), according to state-run news agency Antara, initiated joint patrols involving Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to secure the release of the ten Indonesian sailors and two of their compatriots abducted by Abu Sayyaf.
