9-1-2025 (MANILA) Police have apprehended the suspected orchestrator of the kidnapping of American social media personality Elliot Eastman, marking a significant breakthrough in the case that has gripped the southern Philippines since October.
Maritime authorities detained Ustadz Jakaria Jamani, 35, on Tuesday whilst attempting to cross the Basilan Strait by ferry. The arrest was executed based on judicial warrants issued by the Siocon court for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges.
Eastman, 26, a Vermont native who had settled in the Philippines following his marriage to a local woman, was forcibly taken from his residence in Sibuco town’s Poblacion district by an armed group on 17 October. The case drew international attention, particularly given Eastman’s status as a prominent social media content creator.
According to the Police Regional Office – Zamboanga Peninsula, the suspect has been transferred to Sibuco Municipal Police Station for processing. Notably, no ransom demands were ever made following Eastman’s abduction.
In a grim development last month, law enforcement officials revealed their belief that Eastman had perished on the night of his kidnapping. This conclusion was drawn from statements provided by both a witness and one of the alleged perpetrators, who indicated that the victim’s body was disposed of at sea.
