AGENTS from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have arrived in Zamboanga del Norte to assist in the investigation into the abduction of American national Elliot Onil Eastman, 26.
Eastman, who is married to a Filipina, was abducted by four armed men on Thursday in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. Initial reports indicate that the assailants, posing as police officers, forcibly took Eastman from his home and shot him in the leg when he resisted. He was then taken aboard a getaway boat and fled out to sea.
Five FBI agents visited Sibuco Mayor Joel Ventura on Saturday to gather updates, according to Efraem Roldan, a local media representative. The FBI also visited the residence of Eastman’s wife in Sitio Tungawan in Barangay Poblacion, Sibuco.
Local police and military have launched a search for Eastman, but it remains unclear whether the abduction was a case of kidnap for ransom.
The Philippine National Police in Zamboanga has identified several persons of interest who may be involved in the abduction. “We are validating leads to ensure we are tracking the right group to build an airtight case against them,” said the PNP in Zamboanga Peninsula.
The United States Embassy in Manila has confirmed its awareness of the abduction and has begun 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.
