MANILA (ANN/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER) – FBI agents have begun investigating the reported abduction of American national Elliot Onil Eastman in Zamboanga del Norte.
Eastman, 26, originally from Vermont and married to a Filipina, was abducted by four armed men in Sibuco last Thursday.
Over the weekend, five FBI agents visited Sibuco Mayor Joel Ventura to receive updates on the case, according to Efraem Roldan, media relations officer of the town’s crisis management committee.
The agents also visited the home of Eastman’s wife in Sitio Tungawan, Barangay Poblacion, as part of their inquiries.
Local police and military units have launched a search for Eastman, though it remains unclear whether the abduction is a case of kidnap for ransom.
The Philippine National Police in Zamboanga said on Sunday they have identified certain persons of interest who could be involved in Eastman’s abduction.
“We are validating leads to ensure we are tracking the right group to build an airtight case against them,” the PNP in Zamboanga Peninsula said.
Forcibly taken
Initial reports said the four armed men, who posed as police officers, forcibly took Eastman from his home and shot him in the leg when he tried to resist. He was taken into a getaway boat and fled out to sea.
The United States Embassy in Manila, in a statement, earlier said it was already aware of the abduction and had started coordinating with local authorities.
“We generally do not comment on reports of potential kidnappings while investigations are ongoing,” said Glenda Wallace, the acting spokesperson for the US Embassy in Manila.
Eastman has been living in the Philippines for five months after being married to a Filipina. Earlier reports said he is a content creator on YouTube.