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Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — There is still no direct evidence linking Abu Sayyaf militants to the abduction of American Elliot Onil Eastman in Zamboanga del Norte, police said on Monday, noting that the abductors have yet to make any demands five days after the incident. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/10/20/fbi-visits-zamboanga-del-norte-town-where-american-content-creator-was-abducted-1223">• FBI visits Zamboanga del Norte town where American content creator was abducted</a></div><p>In a media briefing at Camp Crame, Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, said the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has been largely eradicated in Zamboanga and the nearby island of Sulu. </p><p>It has not been confirmed that the foreigner was taken to Sulu or Basilan after he was put aboard a speedboat during the abduction. </p><p>“So far, there is no indication pa na nakatawid po ito ng either Basilan or Sulu po. But just the same, binabantayan [ng mga pulis] ang kanilang coastal and nag-activate na rin po tayo ng mga border control din po natin to check nga po at siguraduhin na hindi po makakalabas ng within Zamboanga del Norte ito pong ating mga suspects po,” Fajardo said. </p><p>The police official mentioned that regional authorities are also conducting backtracking and operational research on two persons of interest. It has not yet been established whether they are associated with the ASG or any local armed or terrorist groups. </p><p>“No’ng pinasok  po ‘yong bahay po ng biktima ay kasama niya doon ang kanyang asawa at ‘yong kanyang mga in-laws po at accordingly,  doon sa mga nakausap na mga witnesses, one of the suspects ay apparently ay wala naman pong takip sa mukha at nakita po doon na sinasabi inaayos diumano ‘yong isang banca po doon. So, may mga composite artist sketch na po tayo. Noong ipinakita itong picture po na ito at even sa mga rouge’s gallery natin ay na-identify po ng mga witness. So, ito po ‘yong mga naging lead kung bakit na-identify po natin,” she said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/10/18/dilg-hot-pursuit-ongoing-to-rescue-american-kidnapped-in-zamboanga-del-norte-1741">• DILG: Hot pursuit ongoing to rescue American kidnapped in Zamboanga del Norte</a></div><p>Eastman, a native of Vermont and a content creator on YouTube, was forcibly taken by four armed men who pretended to be law enforcement personnel on the evening of October 17.</p><p>He reportedly resisted his abductors, prompting them to shoot him in the leg.</p><p>He was then taken to a waiting “jungkung” motorized pump boat that sped toward the high seas. </p><p>Fajardo noted that ASG usually do not harm their victims. </p><p>There is also no known enemy of the foreigner, who has only been staying in the province for five months after marrying a Filipina.</p><p>“So, lahat po ng anggulo, maliban po sa kidnap-for-ransom po, ay inaalam  po at iniimbestigahan po,” Fajardo said. </p><p>The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, which visited the province over the weekend, has already left the region after receiving updates through its legal attaches.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1m8ZaSvhOwA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The PNP noted that the abductors have yet to make any demands five days after the incident.</p>

The PNP noted that the abductors have yet to make any demands five days after the incident.

No indication yet of ASG involvement in abduction of American in Zamboanga del Norte: PNP

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No indication yet of ASG involvement in abduction of American in Zamboanga del Norte: PNP

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 21, 2024 03:12 PM PHT

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Abu Sayyaf

Zamboanga

Basilan

Sulu

Elliot Onil Eastman

PNP

crime

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