The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said joint military and police operations have led to the arrest of suspects in planned bombing operations in Metro Manila and an alleged plot to kidnap television host Kris Aquino and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.
PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said a joint intelligence center of the PNP and the military provided the information on the plan to abduct the President’s sister and the Sarangani lawmaker.
President Aquino earlier bared an Abu Sayyaf plot to kidnap his sister or Pacquiao to use them as a bargaining chip for the government to release their arrested cohorts.
The President released the statement after the severed head of Canadian John Ridsdel was dumped on Monday on Jolo island, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.
The Abu Sayyaf, whose leaders have declared allegiance to the Islamic State group, are believed to be holding more than 20 other foreigners captive.
The President also said the militants had threatened to kill him, while stating the threats had been extinguished.
“They have no forces here yet but we were able to unravel the plot and arrest some persons,” Marquez told reporters in Camp Crame on Thursday.
He said the Abu Sayyaf’s mission is to abduct people—in this case well-known personalities—and demand ransom.
“Like our President said, we can now sleep in peace,” Marquez said, adding that the security sector “will leave no stone unturned” in pursuing the terrorist group.
He said there is no need to provide additional security for the President’s sister, who is being secured by the Presidential Security Group.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, has his own security personnel.
Kris on Thursday confirmed the alleged abduction plot by the bandit group and cited this as the reason for her decision not to renew her contract with broadcast network ABS-CBN.
“Honest truth, I was made aware of this plot late February, early March. My sisters tried to shield me because they didn’t want me to have more fear than necessary. If you recall, my sons and I left in March to go abroad for three weeks. The health reasons I cited weren’t fabricated because the stress coming from the threat had caused my BP [blood pressure] to constantly elevate to higher than 150/110,” she said.
“I didn’t renew with ABS CBN because of this threat. That was a painful decision, but I needed to make that judgment call so as not to expose others to harm,” she said.
Pacquiao, for his part, expressed shock at President Aquino’s claim that Islamic militants planned to kidnap him, and said the alleged plot should not have been made public.
“I was alarmed when he announced… the Abu Sayyaf wanted to kidnap me. I’m surprised because all Filipinos are my friends. I love them, especially the Muslims,” Pacquiao said at his residence in Manila.
He said he had responded to the President’s statement by taking unspecified security measures to secure his wife and five children, who are in his hometown of General Santos.
“We asked for security, protection for my kids, my family to make sure they are safe, especially as I’m not there right now,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao said he was bewildered by Aquino’s statement, having not been informed personally before the President went public with the alleged plot.
“If it came from an intelligence report, it should have been kept secret and need not be announced. And why just now? We have to study this,” said Pacquiao.
He said he was surprised that Islamic militants would target him, citing his good relations with Muslims in the southern Philippines.
“In fact, we support them. We give them livelihood so I don’t know where that came from,” he said.
Pacquiao, an evangelical Christian, said he was not worried about his own safety and that he would continue hitting the campaign trail where huge crowds flock to him in chaotic scenes.
“I live my life like every day is the last so I have no fear. God is with me,” he said.
Malacañang spokespersons were not immediately available to comment on Pacquiao’s statements. With a report from AFP