THE PNP yesterday said there was still no proof of life or ransom demand for an American vlogger who was kidnapped in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte last Thursday night.
Zamboanga Peninsula police regional office spokesperson Lt. Col. Helen Galvez said they believe Elliot Eastman is still alive and efforts are underway to locate and rescue him.
“However, we have no proof of life up to now and there is no ransom demand from the abductors. We have not received information about a ransom demand,” Galvez told a radio interview.
Eastman was snatched by four armed men posing as policemen in his residence in Sitio Tungawan, Barangay Poblacion in Sibuco. Eastman, married to a Filipina, has been living in the area for the last five months.
Reports said Eastman was shot by the suspects in the leg when he resisted the kidnapping. He was later taken to a speedboat that sped off towards Sulu and Basilan.
“We have persons of interest (POIs) and we are looking into their group affiliation. Right now, we cannot yet confirm their group but we already have leads,” said Galvez.
Galvez declined to say if the Abu Sayyaf is involved.
“One of the motives (being looked into is) is kidnap-for-ransom but as of now we don’t have any contact (with the kidnappers) or proof of life,” said Galvez.
Galvez said another angle being considered in the investigation is personal grudge.
Galvez said the local police had reached out to Eastman on several occasions and told him not to stay in the area, which is near the shoreline, due to incidents of kidnapping in the past.
“We advised him he is vulnerable (to kidnapping) because there were previous incidents of abduction there. But he really wanted to stay in the area,” said Galvez.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said they have two POIs in the case.
Fajardo said investigations are underway to determine if the POIs are associated with the Abu Sayyaf or with other terrorist groups operating in Zamboanga Peninsula and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Fajardo said there is no indication the victim was brought to Sulu or Basilan, both known areas of the Abu Sayyaf.
Fajardo said authorities are guarding the coastal areas of the two provinces.
“We also activated our board control to ensure that the suspects will not be able to leave Zamboanga del Norte,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the face of one of the suspects was not covered during the kidnapping. He said they already have an artist’s sketch of the suspect.
She said the suspect’s alias was already established with the help of witnesses.
Fajardo also said members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently went to Zamboanga del Norte to inquire about the kidnapping of Eastman.
“The FBI is interested in how far the investigating unit has reached; they asked for some updates,” said Fajardo.
“What I’ve learned earlier today is they just got some updates and left. The FBI personnel have left the area, they just took some notes concerning updates on the case but they are not involved in the investigation,” said Fajardo.
