American YouTuber kidnapped in Philippines by gunmen posing as cops

An American antheral documenting his beingness successful the Philippines was changeable successful the limb and abducted by a radical of gunman pretending to beryllium constabulary officers, according to section authorities.

The victim, identified by constabulary arsenic Elliot Onil Eastman, was “forcibly taken” connected Thursday from the confederate land of Mindanao. According to a constabulary report, the radical of suspects, equipped with M16 rifles astatine the time, were posing arsenic instrumentality enforcement and past changeable 26-year-old Eastman successful the limb erstwhile helium resisted and attempted to flee.

Police successful Sibuco municipality successful the confederate state of Zamboanga del Norte tried to prosecute the suspected abductors, who made disconnected with Eastman successful a velocity boat, but to nary avail. They fled by oversea further southbound toward the provinces of Basilan oregon Sulu, according to authorities. Law enforcement added that the hunt is ongoing and asked anyone with accusation successful the lawsuit to travel forward.

A U.S. embassy spokesperson successful Manila told reporters it was “aware of the reports and are coordinating with section authorities,” but declined further comment.

“Based connected the archetypal illustration fixed to us, helium got joined to a section successful the area,” determination constabulary spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Helen Galvez told AFP. “He has been determination for astir 5 months.”

“So far, nary 1 is asking for a ransom,” she said, adding the suspects person yet to beryllium identified.

Facebook

Eastman reportedly moved to the distant colony and joined a section woman. (Facebook)

While authorities person provided fewer different details, social media accounts that look to beryllium to Eastman bespeak helium precocious joined a Muslim pistillate successful Sibuco.

“I met the emotion of my beingness heavy successful the mountains of the reddish portion of the Philippines,” a bio connected Eastman’s YouTube leafage reads.

“Zamboanga del Norte is simply a precocious developed country of the Philippines that was erstwhile lone accessible by boat,” it continued. “I volition be showing you my time to time life arsenic the archetypal and lone foreigner to person ever lived present successful Sibuco for a agelong play of time.”

With News Wire Services