Two Indian businessmen gunned down in Philippines

Two Indian businessmen were gunned down by an unidentified assailant in southern Philippines, police said today.

Manjeet Singh, 27, and Sukhinder Singh, 26, residents of Compostela Valley province, were attacked at Trento, Agusan del Sur province yesterday, Inquirer.net, a Philippino website reported.

The victims were about to leave the premises of a rice trading firm when the assailant fired at them several times with a handgun.

The two died of gunshot wounds later, said Superintendent Martin Gamba, spokesperson of Caraga regional police office.

Police have yet to identify the gunmen and the motive behind the killing.

Jerome Baxinela, Agusan del Sur police chief, said Tuesday's attack was not the first in Trento.

In 2009, an Indian moneylender was also shot dead as he was collecting payments from borrowers at the town proper. That murder appeared to be business-related, the police official said.