An American man living in Zamboanga del Norte was recently kidnapped by an unknown group of armed men posing as police officers.
 |
| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/10/18/2393511/american-national-kidnapped-zamboanga-del-norte |
Authorities are in hot pursuit of kidnappers who abducted an American national in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, police said on Friday, October 18.
In the "Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon" public briefing, P/Lt. Col. Helen Galvez of the Regional Public Information Office, Police Regional Office IX, said they are still tracking down the 26-year-old American national, who was kidnapped from their home on Thursday night.
The victim, Elliot Onil Eastman, who is married to a local, had been staying in the country for five months. According to a statement from local police, assailants broke into the home of the spouse’s parents and abducted Eastman.
The victim initially resisted and was shot by the assailants, who then took the American onto a boat and escaped via the sea.
“Our hot pursuit operations are ongoing, focusing on the last known route of the boat carrying the victim. We are also coordinating with our counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to assist in the possible rescue of the abducted victim,” Galvez said.
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) ordered all of its units in Basilan and Sulu to guard against the possible entry of the kidnappers and their American captive.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, director of PRO-BAR, told reporters on Friday afternoon that they have received reports indicating that Eastman was taken away from Sitio Tungawan in Barangay Poblacion, Sibuco, by his abductors using a watercraft that sailed towards Sulu.
"We have alerted our units in Basilan and Sulu about that, and our personnel are guarding the beachfronts there very tightly," Macapaz said.
The assailants have not yet made any ransom demands, Galvez said.
“This is an isolated case in the area of Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, and it does not affect the general peace and order of the entire region,” she said.
Despite this, Galvez mentioned that Region IX is on heightened alert.
The kidnappers were seen speeding away towards Sulu which means they are likely remnants of Abu Sayyaf. Note that P/Lt. Col. Helen Galvez says this is an isolated case that "does not affect the general peace and order of the entire region."
What a joke.
While this may be the first kidnapping case in a number of years it is surely indicative of the volatile nature of the region. Take from Elliot Onil Eastman himself. He has posted several videos admitting he is the only foreigner living in one of the most dangerous areas in the Philippines.
 |
| https://www.youtube.com/@ElliotBeastman |
Hello everyone I’m Elliot Eastman, I am 26 years old and I came to the Philippines about a year and half ago where I met the love of my life deep in the mountains of the red zone of the Philippines. Zamboanga del Norte is a recently developed area of the Philippines that was once only accessible by boat. I will be showing you my day to day life as the first and only foreigner to have ever lived here in sibuco for a long period of time. I am from the USA! 💪
You can send me a donation at PayPal of Venmo where I receive 100% of donations or on YouTube super chats and Buy Me A Coffee where I will receive 66%. Thank you so much
 |
| Living in the Philippines most dangerous area as an American. |
 |
| I opened a store in the most dangerous part of the Philippines for foreigners to live |
18:17 Yeah, it's kind of scary like sometimes at night times, but you know yeah is what it is. Some people, like, you hear, like, all they're planning to come kidnap me or what not. Like people sometimes maybe are trying to make a plan to kidnap me or whatever trying to get me for ransom or whatever trying to make some money out of me or whatever. But I don't know. It is what it is. Right now I feel pretty safe. But you never really know. This is going to like a scary little bit.
