PNP widens search for kidnapped American

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines —  The police and military have expanded the search for Elliot Onil Eastman outside the Zamboanga peninsula, a week after the American was kidnapped in Sibuco town.

Lt. Col. Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office 9 (PRO) spokesperson, said authorities are already in custody of several persons of interest.

“We are not ceasing in locating the victim and the abductors. For now, we already have the suspects (who) are providing leads to our forces in the rescue operations,” Galvez said.

She added that the “rescue operation is being conducted in the general area of Zamboanga peninsula.”

“We have also crossed borders, to places our intelligence units pinpointed in the report,” Galvez noted.

Eastman, 26, is a native of US state Vermont and is married to a Filipina.

He was shot twice in the leg when he was kidnapped on Oct. 18 by four gunmen who posed as anti-narcotics police in Sitio Tungawan, Barangay Poblacion, Sibuco.

According to Galvez, authorities believe that Eastman is still alive as there has been no sighting of an abandoned body in the places searched in the past days.

“All the efforts are being exerted by the police and our counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. We believe he is alive. We have no proof that his body was dumped in any place. We are searching… and targeting the places intelligence provided us in their report,” Galvez said.

She said security officers have not intercepted any call either from Eastman or the kidnappers.

“Anti-Kidnapping Group personnel are on board in the area to monitor if there is already communication. Both here in Sibuco or in the US, there has been no signal of any contact for any demand,” Galvez told local radio X-FM.

She added that the police and military would continue tracking operations until they find Eastman.

Earlier, the local government and the 3rd congressional district of Zamboanga del Norte raised P500,000 as reward for anyone who could provide information on the location of the “jungkong” boat used during the kidnapping and the location of Eastman and his kidnappers.