MANILA, Philippines — A reward of P150,000 has been offered in exchange for information leading to the rescue of American vlogger Elliot Onil Eastman, who was seized in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte last week.
Sibuco Mayor Joel Ventura said the reward included P50,000 for information leading to the location of the motorized boat used by the kidnappers.
The remaining amount will be given to informants who can help authorities rescue Eastman.
Ventura gave assurance that the identities of informants would be protected.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remula said the incident is being treated as a kidnapping even as no ransom has been demanded so far.
“Based on latest information, it doesn’t sound like a kidnapping yet, because there is no ransom demand in actuality. It seems there is a local feud in the community,” Remulla said. “Anyway, we are treating this as a kidnapping and the police are pursuing the perpetrators.”
Although there is no ransom demand yet, authorities continue to explore all possible motives in the kidnapping, including connections to groups with a history of similar activities in the area.
The Zamboanga peninsula police said that from the region, the search has expanded to neighboring areas to ensure the safe recovery of the victim.
The public has been urged to report any information to the Sibuco police or contact 09985986798 and 09178221990.
Lt. Col. Helen Galvez, spokesperson for the Zamboanga peninsula police, said the pursuit operation is based on intelligence reports and surveillance, including tracking down persons of interest.
Galvez said that while authorities have gathered leads on the case, the investigation remains at a delicate stage.
“Pursuit operations here in the region and across provincial borders are ongoing. Our moves are based on the leads we have on persons of interest,” Galvez said.
Not in Basilan
There has been no indication that Eastman was brought by the kidnappers to Basilan, according to Gov. Jim Hataman Salliman.
After hearing about the kidnapping, Salliman said he immediately mobilized all government resources and security forces in the island-province for the possible presence of the kidnappers and the victim.
“We have been monitoring and continue to monitor until now, but still there has been no indication of the American captive anywhere in Basilan,” Salliman said.
He was reacting to a statement of the Philippine National Police about the possibility of the kidnappers bringing the captive to Basilan or Sulu, which are known bailiwicks of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group.
The kidnappers, who reportedly posed as police officers, are suspected to be remnants of the bandit group.
Salliman said the kidnappers might not have left Sibuco yet, noting the captive was wounded.
“It would be difficult for them to drag him along due to his condition,” he said.
Salliman said Basilan has been declared free of the Abu Sayyaf and the province teems with government security forces as well as combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front who are helping secure the province.
He appealed to residents to coordinate with authorities on any sighting of suspicious persons in their communities.
“We reaffirm our commitment to never waiver nor negotiate with kidnappers,” Salliman said.
Citing indicators, Merjan Caril, chairman of Barangay Poblacion where Eastman was seized, echoed Salliman’s belief that the kidnappers and the captive are still in Sibuco.
Caril said the local family of Eastman have not received any contact or demand for ransom from the kidnappers.
Eastman, who has been in the Philippines for five months, is married to a Filipina, Karisa Hairin, a resident of Sitio Tungawan in Barangay Poblacion.
Police said the kidnappers barged into the house of Hairin’s parents and seized Eastman, who was shot in the leg when he resisted.
Agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation have arrived in Sibuco to look into the case of Eastman.
The agents talked to Eastman’s wife and asked if the kidnappers have contacted them to make demands.
They said the family of Eastman in the US has not received any call from the kidnappers. — Alexis Romero