An American man has reportedly been kidnapped in a town in the southern Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police said Friday they had launched a search after gunmen allegedly kidnapped a U.S. national, who was shot in the leg as he tried to resist before being dragged away. a coastal town in the south of the Philippines by speedboat.

Police in the town of Sibuco in the southern province of Zamboanga del Norte attempted to pursue the suspected kidnappers and their victim, whom they identified as Elliot Onil Eastman, 26, of Vermont, after the reported kidnapping Thursday evening.

“We confirm that there has been a report of a suspected kidnapping of an American national,” regional police said in a statement. “We want to assure the public, especially the Sibuco community, that we are doing everything in our power to ensure the victim’s safe recovery.”

Police have asked the public to immediately come forward with any information that may assist in the ongoing investigation into the reported kidnapping.

Two police reports seen by The Associated Press indicate that Sibuco resident Abdulmali Hamsiran Jala reported to police that four men dressed in black, armed with M16 rifles and posing as police officers, had forcibly taken away Eastman , who was trying to escape.

One of the gunmen shot Eastman in the leg before dragging him into a speedboat and then fleeing by sea further south to Basilan or Sulu provinces, according to police reports .

Police chased but failed to find the gunmen and Eastman and alerted other Philippine police and marine units in the area, according to reports.

Philippine authorities did not immediately provide details about Eastman, but a person with a similar name posted photos and videos of himself on Facebook saying he had married a Muslim woman in Sibuco.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to questions about the reported kidnapping.

Muslim armed bands led by the notoriously violent Abu Sayyaf carried out frequent kidnappings for ransom more than two decades ago in the south, home to a Muslim minority in this largely Catholic country.

They targeted American and Western tourists and religious missionaries, most of whom were extorted. A few were killed, including an American who was beheaded in the island province of Basilan and another who was killed as military forces tried to rescue him and his wife.

Relentless military and police offensives, however, significantly weakened Abu Sayyaf, considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the Philippines and similar armed groups, and kidnappings for ransom eventually declined.

The Philippines is scheduled to hold midterm elections for more than 18,000 local and national offices next year. In the traditionally volatile south, crimes including kidnappings have traditionally increased as rogue politicians tried to raise money to fuel their campaigns, authorities say.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.