An American tourist was mugged and then shot dead while on a holiday with his husband in the Philippines - on the same crime-ridden island where a vlogger was abducted last year.

Ralph Manecke, 56, from Boston, Massachusetts, and his younger Filipino partner Jerald Ceasar Tornea flew from the United States to the Southeast Asian country to enjoy a tropical vacation this week.

The couple, who were wed in the U.S. where same-sex marriage is legal, checked in at the Hill's View Inn hotel in the mountainous province of Agusan del Sur before driving into Trento City to withdraw some cash for their trip.

But while they were at the ATM, they were reportedly approached by a helmet-wearing man who had alighted from an SUV.

The suspect was said to have yanked the sling bag containing the banknotes from Jerald, before shooting the American tourist in the stomach. He then fled as onlookers called police after hearing the gunshot.

Heartbreaking footage shows a shocked Jerald cradling his husband's motionless body while surrounded by the locals. Police later arrived at the scene to rush Ralph to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Jerald filed a report with the local police on February 3. Recounting the mugging incident, he said: 'While we were withdrawing, an SUV drove up next to us and a man stepped out of it.

'He greeted us a good evening but I was taken aback when I saw he was pointing a gun at us. He warned my partner not to move. I couldn't do anything. My entire body felt numb.

'I dropped to the ground, and the man grabbed the bag from me. Then I heard a gunshot.'

Ralph's sister Deb Clement said: 'I am sad to share that we lost Ralph to a violent crime in the Philippines. He was robbed and killed. Us girls are devastated as are our mom and dad.'

Police Lieutenant Abelardo Lapis, deputy officer of the Trento Municipal Police Station, said: 'The couple were legally married. They withdrew 50,000 PHP for their vacation, but while they were in the Hill's View area, a still-unidentified suspect attacked them.'

Police said they were investigating the case. They said the US Embassy in Manila had been informed.

Writing online, a devastated Jerald said: 'I know and I feel that you really appreciated my parents and my family. You cared for me even more than I cared for you. How can I start our plans now that you're gone?'

The mugging happened on the southern Mindanao island, where American vlogger Elliot Eastman, 26, had been abducted in October last year.

The YouTuber was reportedly in the house with his Muslim Filipina wife Karisha Jala when four armed men allegedly burst through the door around 10 pm on October 17.

The attackers falsely claimed they were police and reportedly shot the expat in the leg when he tried to resist. He was then bundled away in a speedboat off the coast of Zamboanga del Norte - one of the most dangerous parts of the notoriously crime-ridden country.

Police said he was believed dead following testimonies from arrested suspects in December.

The Philippines' southern region has been grappling with constant separatist attacks for decades. A Muslim enclave in the predominantly Catholic country, it is also a notorious hub for violent extremist groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf.

Efforts toward peace have seen progress, with a 2014 peace agreement and the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in 2019. However, sporadic clashes with extremist factions and ongoing poverty continue to challenge long-term stability.