An American national was kidnapped in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Police Regional Office-9 chief Police Brig. Gen. Bowenn Joey Masauding identified the victim as Elliot Onil Eastman, 26, from the state of Vermont in the United States.
EASTMAN (FB)
"We confirm that there was a report of the alleged abduction of an American national," Masauding said. “We want to assure the public, particularly the community of Sibuco, that we are doing everything in our power to secure the safe recovery of the victim.”
Four armed men who introduced themselves as police officers forcibly took Eastman from his residence in Sitio Tungawan, Barangay Poblacion at about 11 p.m.
The victim reportedly resisted and was shot and wounded by one of the gunmen. He was taken to a speedboat then fled by sea further south toward the provinces of Basilan or Sulu, police said.
Policemen chased but failed to find the gunmen and Eastman and alerted other police and marine units.
Lawmen asked the public to immediately provide any information that could help an ongoing investigation of the reported abduction.
A resident of Sibuco, Abdulmali Hamsiran Jala, reported to police that the suspects wore black clothing and armed with M16 rifles.
Authorities did not immediately provide background details of Eastman but a person with a similar name has posted pictures and videos of himself on Facebook saying he had married a Muslim woman in Sibuco and been staying in the country for five months.
The US Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to questions about the reported abduction.
Muslim armed bands led by the notoriously violent Abu Sayyaf carried out an frequent kidnappings for ransom more than two decades ago in the south, home of a Muslim minority in the largely Roman Catholic nation.
They targeted American and other Western tourists and religious missionaries, most of whom were ransomed off. A few were killed, including an American who was beheaded on the island province of Basilan and another who was killed while army forces were trying to rescue him and his wife.
Relentless military and police offensives, however, have considerably weakened the Abu Sayyaf, which is considered as a terrorist organization by the US and the Philippines and similar armed groups and kidnappings for ransom eventually waned.
The Philippines is to hold mid-term elections next year for more than 18,000 local and national posts. In the traditionally volitile south, crimes including kidnappings have traditionally spiked as rogue politicians try to raise funds to fuel their campaigns, according to authorities.
Masauding said they have activated all their available assets in the search for Eastman. Eastman's abduction is the first recorded incident in the Zamboanga Peninsula after four years.
Police have yet to receive any ransom demand and conducting follow-up investigation. (With reports from Associated Press)