MANILA, Philippines — Agents of the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have arrived in Zamboanga del Norte to probe the alleged kidnapping of an American national who was reported missing last week.
FBI agents have coordinated with the Sibuco municipal government to join the search for the missing American vlogger, Elliot Eastman, who has been living in Sibuco town for the last five months, said Helen Galvez, information officer of Police Regional Office 9 (Zamboanga).
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"We already have persons of interest. We're still verifying if they have any connection to previous kidnapping incidents," Galvez said in an interview with Radyo DZBB on Monday, October 21.
"There hasn't been a kidnapping in the area for a long time. As long as there hasn't been any demand for ransom, we're not ruling out other possibilities or angles," she added.
Witnesses told police that they saw four armed men took Eastman, but the identity of the alleged abductors have yet to be identified, Galvez said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement on Monday that it is prepared to assist the Philippine National Police in locating the missing American national, including the conduct of tracking and pursuit operations.
In an earlier statement sent to Philstar.com, US Embassy acting spokesperson Glenda Wallace said that the US government works closely with local law enforcement when a US citizen goes missing and maintains close contact with their family.
“The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad,” it added.
What went before
Earlier police reports indicate that the four armed men pretended to be law enforcement officers before forcibly taking Eastman, who was shot in the leg during the kidnapping.
The alleged abductors have not reached out to the police to make any demands related to Eastman, the police officer said. "We don't have proof of life for now," she added.
Eastman is married to a Filipino national. He returned five months ago to attend his wife's graduation before being abducted in his wife's home, Galvez said.
Video clips posted on Eastman's Facebook page show he regularly documents his daily life inside his residence.