Officials on Thursday, December 5, believed that American vlogger Elliot Eastman likely died following his abduction in Zamboanga del Norte, although his body has yet to be found.
Eastman was taken from Sibuco town on October 17 by four armed men disguised as police officers. He reportedly sustained a gunshot wound to the leg while attempting to resist.
“We want to believe that Elliot Eastman died because of the testimonies we got from a witness and one of the suspects,” Police Regional Office (PRO) 9 Acting Spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramoncelio Sawan told reporters in a phone interview on Thursday.
Sawan also said that a suspect, in an extrajudicial confession last November, corroborated initial reports indicating that Eastman had died and that his body was thrown at sea.
Previously, a witness claimed that Eastman had died of gunshot wounds to his leg and abdomen.
“Late October, during our investigation, we encountered one witness who told us na may nakapagsabi sa kanya na noong gabi na inabduct si Elliott Eastman, nabaril po siya at nung pumalaot na ang mga nag-abduct sa kanya, napansin nila na later on, patay na si Eastman. Ang ginawa raw nila ay itinapon nila sa tubig ang katawan ni Eastman,” Sawan said.
“Some time in November, nahuli natin ang isa sa mga sangkot sa pag-abduct kay Elliott Eastman. Siya na mismo ang nagsabi at nagpatotoo sa sinabi ng unang witness na nakuha natin,” he added.
But despite these accounts, Sawan stated that Eastman’s body has yet to be recovered.
Eastman’s family has been notified through the police’s coordination with the United States Embassy, Sawan said.
He also noted that authorities remain open to any information about Eastman’s case and are working closely with agencies, particularly those with sea assets in the Zamboanga Peninsula, to aid in the search. (TCSP)
