American reportedly kidnapped in Philippine coastal town; police investigating

A search is underway in the Philippines after police received reports that a group of gunmen shot an American national in the leg as he was kidnapped and taken away on a speed boat.

The reported kidnapping happened in the coastal town of Sibuco, a town in the southern province of Zamboanga del Norte, on Thursday night. Police identified the American as Elliot Onil Eastman, 26, from Vermont.

“We confirm that there was a report of the alleged abduction of an American national,” the regional police said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. “We want to assure the public, particularly the community of Sibuco, that we are doing everything in our power to secure the safe recovery of the victim.”

A resident of Sibuco told police that four men in black clothing and armed with M16 rifles introduced themselves as police officers before forcibly taking Eastman, according to two police reports seen by The Associated Press. 

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The resident described to police how Eastman tried to escape, but one of the gunmen shot him in the leg before dragging him into a speedboat. The witness said the group then fled on the boat further south toward the provinces of Basilan or Sulu.

Police are searching the area but have yet to find Eastman or the alleged kidnappers. (Philippine National Police Regional Office 9 via AP)

Policemen chased but failed to find the gunmen and Eastman and alerted other police and Philippine marine units in the region, according to the reports.

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The southern Philippines is no stranger to security issues among its largely impoverished population, which is home to a Muslim minority in the largely Roman Catholic nation.

The Abu Sayyaf group, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the Philippines, is an offshoot of decades-long Muslim separatist unrest in the south and carried out mass kidnappings for ransom, beheadings and bombings more than two decades ago in the southern region.

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It is unclear whether the gunmen in the alleged kidnapping belong to any such group.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.