Chinese trader, Filipino woman companion slain in S Philippine gun attack

Unidentified gunmen shot dead a Chinese national and his Filipino female companion in southern Philippines on Friday, police said on Saturday.

Qiang Liu, 36, single and a resident of Placer town, Surigao del Norte and Rizzel dela Cruz, 22, married, also a trader, were killed by motorcycle-riding assailants along a road in Placer town, in Mindanao's Surigao del Norte province around 2:45 am, said Superintendent Martin Gamba, the spokesperson of Caraga police regional office.

Gamba said the victims were riding an Asian utility vehicle driven by the Chinese when the suspects drove alongside and one of them fired at the victims several times using a handgun before speeding away.

"The victims were killed instantly," said Gamba, adding police also recovered in the vehicle cash, cellular phones and other documents, hinting it could be a targeted killing.

The police official said an investigation into the incident was now being conducted by local police.