TAYUG -- A Japanese national was shot dead Tuesday afternoon while his Filipina wife survived the stab wounds in an attack along the national highway here.

P03 Allan Bibat of the Tayug Police Station identified the victims as Cart Zusuke and wife Lily Zusuke, presently residing at Barangay Panganiban here.

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The probers are eyeing a land dispute as possible motive behind the attack.

Bibat said the Japanese Embassy already called up at the police station inquiring about Cart's passport and other pertinent documents to establish if he is really Japanese.

The shooting incident happened about 3 p.m. along Barangay Barangobong.

Initial investigation disclosed that the motorcycle-riding suspect(s) approached the Zusukes' parked car and shot Cart first. After which, Lily was stabbed several times.

Bibat said a concerned motorist who heard the gunshot proceeded to the police station and reported the suspicious incident along the highway.

The responding policemen saw Cart bathing with his own blood inside the car. He was shot in the head and could have died on the spot.

The couple was rushed to the hospital by responding policemen. Allegedly, in between her breaths, Lily was able to tell the policemen who their assailant was.

There were instances in the past where an owner of a farm land pawned to Lily was asking her to let him till the land. But allegedly he was told, only after he has paid his loan.

The investigators are conducting follow-up investigation on the incident.

Identification of the suspect was withheld for the meantime while investigators are establishing who his companions were.