Woman shot dead inside restaurant in Parañaque City

MANILA, Philippines — A 52-year-old woman was killed Monday afternoon after she was shot at close range by two unknown assailants right inside a restaurant at a subdivision in Parañaque City, police said.

Police identified the victim as Josephine Sarmiento, a married woman residing in BF Homes, Parañaque.

Senior Superintendent Andrei Felix, the city’s police chief, said the woman was dining with a companion at Pancake House along President Avenue in BF Homes around 4 p.m. when one of the two men who were seated at the next table stood up and shot her in the head.

The gunman and his companion casually walked out of the restaurant and fled the scene.

The victim was rushed to the Parañaque Medical Center but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Although the investigation is still ongoing, the police have ruled out robbery as the motive in the killing since the personal belongings of the victim were found intact.

Felix said that it appeared to them that the killing was planned and the victim or her companion did not know the assailants.