2 Korean men killed in Cebu ambush

CEBU — Two Korean nationals were ambushed and killed by three men on a motorcycle while they were on their way home with their wives in Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City late Saturday night.

The wives of the victims, also both Koreans, survived the attack with only minor bruises but are now suffering from shock.

The attackers, armed with caliber .45 pistols, apparently trailed the Mitsubishi Spacewagon bearing Cho Yoon Sik and Kim Suk Sun before opening fire as they reached a stretch of the highway in Sitio Suba-Panas in Marigondon.

Cho and Kim, both 53, had just come from the Shabu-Shabu Restaurant at the Marina Mall that they jointly owned.

SPO4 Geoffrey Baguio, police homicide section chief, said Cho was driving the car with his wife seated beside him. Kim was in the back with his wife.

Cho lost control of the car after getting hit and the vehicle swerved into the opposite lane and hit a boulder which fell on its side.

One of the attackers continued to fire into the car before all three men fled in the direction of Cordova town.

John Loro, an employee of the Cebu Marine Resort, happened to pass by shortly after and was the first to come to the rescue of the victims. He was later joined by residents.

Elisa Torsende, a resident, said the car had to be set upright in order to get through to the passengers trapped inside.

The two male Koreans were still alive when they were retrieved from the car with their wives and rushed to the Mactan Community Hospital, but Cho apparently died on the way.

Kim did not also survive his wounds and died two hours later at the hospital emergency room.

Cho sustained at least three gunshot wounds in the back and buttocks, while Kim was hit in the chest and arms.

Police found five spent shells, one dud bullet and four caliber .45 slugs inside the car.

Police tried to talk to the two Korean women but they were unable to talk.

The attack was the third act of violence against Koreans in Lapu-Lapu City in the last five months.

The first was in June when another Korean restaurant owner was attacked by a customer inside his restaurant. In August, another Korean was shot by a security guard inside another restaurant.

Records at the Tourism Research and Statistics Division of the Department of Tourism show that Koreans now rank third in tourist arrivals to the Philippines after Americans and Japanese.

From January to April this year, 97,215 Koreans came to the country compared to 92,392 during the same period last year. — Freeman News Service