US man shot, abducted in southern Philippines

Manila, Oct 18 (IANS) An American man was reportedly shot and abducted by gunmen in Zamboanga del Norte province in the southern Philippines, local police said Friday.Brigadier General Bowenn Joey Masauding of the Philippine National Police in the Zamboanga Peninsula regional office identified the victim as Elliot Onil Eastman, 26, a native of Vermont State in the United States, Xinhua news agency reported.Masauding said the abductors barged into the house of the American national in Sibuco town around 11 p.m. local time on Thursday. Citing witness's accounts, Masauding said the victim resisted, forcing the kidnappers to shoot him in the leg.Masauding said the victim had been living in the town for five months after marrying a local Filipino woman.No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction."For now, we don't have any communication from the group who took the victim, and we have not established communication with the victim nor the request for any ransom. We have no details yet as to the victim's medical condition," police spokesperson Colonel Helen Galvez said.--IANSint/rs/dan

HamroGlobalMedia

Oct 18, 2024 - 12:25

Manila, Oct 18 (IANS) An American man was reportedly shot and abducted by gunmen in Zamboanga del Norte province in the southern Philippines, local police said Friday.

Brigadier General Bowenn Joey Masauding of the Philippine National Police in the Zamboanga Peninsula regional office identified the victim as Elliot Onil Eastman, 26, a native of Vermont State in the United States, Xinhua news agency reported.

Masauding said the abductors barged into the house of the American national in Sibuco town around 11 p.m. local time on Thursday. Citing witness's accounts, Masauding said the victim resisted, forcing the kidnappers to shoot him in the leg.

Masauding said the victim had been living in the town for five months after marrying a local Filipino woman.

No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.

"For now, we don't have any communication from the group who took the victim, and we have not established communication with the victim nor the request for any ransom. We have no details yet as to the victim's medical condition," police spokesperson Colonel Helen Galvez said.

--IANS

int/rs/dan