ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Police have identified two more suspects in the October 17 abduction of American content creator Elliot Eastman in Zamboanga del Norte.
Philippine National Police-Zamboanga Peninsula spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Helen Galvez said on Monday, November 4, that a supplemental complaint has been filed against two additional suspects linked to Eatman’s kidnapping. The two were identified after the first three were named last week.
Eastman, who has lived in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, for nearly five months, moved there after marrying a local resident, Kashrina.
Initial reports said the American was shot in the leg when he struggled to free himself from the armed group who dragged him from his home in Sibuco.
Last week, PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo told reporters that the group responsible for the abduction has also been linked to various criminal activities. One suspect has a pending murder case, and others have outstanding arrest warrants.
Fajardo said the suspects have been uncooperative regarding Eastman’s location. Authorities are hopeful he is still alive, with kidnapping believed to be the primary motive. However, no ransom demand has been made.
Zamboanga del Norte Governor Rosalina Jalosjos condemned the incident, saying, “This administration denounces the infliction of suffering not only upon the victim but also upon his family and the community now gripped with fear.”
Meanwhile, Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District Representative Adrian Amatong announced he was adding P350,000 to the P150,000 reward offered by the Sibuco town government, bringing the total reward to P500,000 for any information leading to Eastman’s whereabouts.
The police investigation includes tracing activities in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to determine any links between the suspects and local terrorist groups, officials said. – Rappler.com