Authorities have yet to confirm the group behind the reported abduction of a foreign national in Sitio Tungawan, Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte.
The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Elliot Onil Eastman, an American national.
In an interview with Star FM Zamboanga, Police Regional Office 9 spokesperson PLTCol. Helen Galvez said that investigations into the incident are ongoing.
According to reports, four armed individuals, posing as law enforcement officers, forcibly took the victim.
Eastman was shot in the leg after resisting before being taken away on a boat.
It was learned that Eastman has been living in the area for five months after marrying a Filipina. He has no known business operations in the region.
As of now, no communication has been received from the abductors, but Police Regional Office 9 is coordinating with counterparts to expedite the search for those responsible, while the motive behind the kidnapping is still being determined.