LJUBLJANA - A leading Slovenian journalist and her Filipino partner have been shot dead after disturbing robbers at their home in the Philippine capital Manila, media reports said Wednesday.

Nika Bohinc, a 29-year-old critic and former editor of the Slovenian film magazine Ekran, had been working as a freelance journalist in Manila with her 28-year-old partner Alexis Tioseco, founder of the online journal Criticine.

The couple were shot in Manila's Quezon district when they returned home late Tuesday and surprised three armed robbers who were ransacking the house.

One of the gunmen opened fire, killing the couple, online news channel 24ur reported.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed a Slovenian citizen had been killed in Manila on Tuesday but would not reveal her identity.