2 men "shoot to death" Indian money lender

CEBU, Philippines - An Indian national was shot to death while allegedly being robbed by two men at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday in barangay Mohon, Talisay City.

Police arrested Rutchel Bacus Alcover, 29, and Jeriel Labao Sembrano, who are both residents of the place, two hours after the crime was committed.

Raja Singh, 37, a resident of barangay Dumlog of the same city, succumbed to a gunshot wound on the right side of his head.

The bullet exited at the back of his head causing his instantaneous death.

PO3 Michael Santinno Cortes of Barili Police Station who was passing by the area shortly after the incident took place also helped in locating the alleged robbers.

According investigator SPO3 Daniel Tarucan, they saw the two men drinking coconut wine, or "tuba," inside a hut in Mohon.

Police seized from Alcover a .357 cal. revolver with one live ammo.

Based on police records, the two had been linked to robberies previously and had been both detained at the Maghaway Rehabilitation and Detention Center.

Tarucan said that the two were also suspects of a robbery to an Indian national in the morning of that day.

Their first victim however did not report the incident to the police, he said.

Police also recovered from the suspects the P400 reportedly taken from their first victim.

They had already allegedly spent most of their loot on shabu and drinks, said the police.

And since they only had a few bucks in their pockets, they waited for their next victim.

At that time Singh, a "5-6" loaner, was in the area collecting money from borrowers.

Residents scampered away when they heard the first gunshot allegedly fired by Alcover.

The second shot could have killed Singh on the spot, and when he was down, the two divested him of his money that was placed inside his pockets.

The two then ran away to the house of one "Nanding."

Police is set to file today a robbery with homicide complaint against the two alleged robbers in the Talisay City Prosecutor's Office. - THE FREEMAN