AFP vows security of foreigners in Mindanao amid American vlogger’s abduction

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday it is trying its best to secure the foreigners in Mindanao after an American vlogger was abducted in Zamboanga del Norte.

“Ang Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas (The Armed Forces of the Philippines), we are assuring the public that we are really doing everything in our power to hit our targets, to eliminate these threats internally,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said in a press briefing.

“With that, we have opened as you have seen, nag-open na rin ng turismo dito sa Mindanao and we plan na tuloy-tuloy po natin itong isu-sustain,” she added.

(With that, the tourism here in Mindanao has opened as you have seen and we plan to sustain it continuously.)

On October 17, four men abducted Elliot Eastman from his in-laws' house in Sibuco. The American national reportedly resisted but was shot in the leg and brought to a boat that headed for the high seas.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said that they are looking into two persons of interest and verifying if they are connected to any groups.

According to Padilla, the AFP will make some adjustments in their operations in light of Eastman’s abduction.

“Of course, we adjust accordingly to certain situations. So our ground commanders are always there to give guidance as to operations that are being conducted in their localities,” she said.

The US Embassy said it continues to work with local authorities in the search for Eastman. It did not provide further details citing privacy and other considerations.

"When a US citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts, and we make every effort to keep lines of communication open with families," the Embassy said.

"The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of US citizens abroad," it added. —AOL, GMA Integrated News