MANILA, 05/12/2024 – A U.S. national, Elliot Eastman, who was abducted in the southern Philippines in October, has reportedly been killed, according to Philippine police. Authorities cite accounts from a witness and one of the suspects involved in the kidnapping.
Eastman, 26, was forcibly taken on October 17 from his home in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, by four unidentified men posing as policemen. The motive behind the abduction remains unclear.
Regional police spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramoncelio Sawan stated that a witness revealed Eastman was shot twice while resisting his captors during a motorboat transfer on the night of the abduction. He reportedly died from his injuries, and the suspects disposed of his body by throwing it into the sea.
One suspect, recently apprehended, corroborated the witness’s account in a sworn statement submitted to prosecutors. Despite extensive search operations, Eastman’s body has not yet been recovered.
Eastman, a 26-year-old from the United States, had been living in Sibuco for over a year and documented his life in the coastal town on his YouTube channel. Describing himself as the “first and only foreigner” to reside there for an extended period, Eastman expressed joy about finding love in the Philippines.
The U.S. Embassy in Manila confirmed awareness of the reports and expressed readiness to assist. “The Department of State has no greater priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad,” it said in a statement.