Philippines president: Islamist militant group plotted to kidnap Manny Pacquiao

The president of the Philippines said Wednesday that the Islamist terrorist group Abu Sayyaf wanted to kidnap champion boxer Manny Pacquiao or one of his five children "to use them in bargaining for the release of their cohorts."

Benigno Aquino III said he himself was also a potential assassination target, and police foiled the militant group's plan to detonate bombs around Manila, The Associated Press reports. Abu Sayyaf is believed to be behind the beheading of Canadian hostage John Ridsdel, who was murdered earlier this week after his ransom wasn't paid. Aquino, whose six year term is over in June, said he will "devote all my energies" to fighting the extremists, making them a "very seriously degraded problem" for the next president.

Pacquiao is a two-term congressman in the Philippines and is running for one of 12 senate seats, with the election set for May 9.

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