The family of two Australians found dead at a luxury hotel in the Philippines alongside a Filipina relative say they are praying “for answers and the truth in this horrific matter”.
The bodies were discovered with their hands and feet tied in a room at the Lake Hotel in Tagaytay, a resort city south of the nation’s capital.
The victims were Sydney man David James Fisk, 57, his partner, Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, a Philippine-born Australian citizen, and a younger relative of Cortez.
Tagaytay’s police chief, Charles Daven Capagcuan, said the motive for the killings was not known and some valuables, including the victims’ phones, had not been taken.
Investigators were interviewing witnesses and examining security cameras.
Footage showed a man wearing a mask and a hoodie and carrying a sling bag walking out of the victims’ room a few hours before their bodies were discovered, Capagcuan said.
Fisk had twin daughters – performer Lacinda and teacher Brittany, both aged 27. In a statement written on behalf of the family, Lacinda said they were “heartbroken”.
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“The love we have for our father and Lucita is so dear and this situation is like living a nightmare,” she wrote on a fundraising page.
“We pray for answers and the truth in this horrific matter and pray for their safe return to Australian shores.”
Last December, Fisk and Cortez celebrated Lacinda’s engagement in Sydney alongside David’s former partner Sandra.
The family were well known in Sydney’s Sutherland shire. In 2014, Lacinda won the shire’s Young Citizen of the Year award.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs did not reveal the Australians’ identities but confirmed it was providing consular assistance to their families.
“We send our condolences to the families at this difficult time,” a spokesperson said.
Tagaytay’s mayor, Abraham Tolentino, said he was shocked by the discovery and apologised to the victims’ families.
“We’re very sorry to our Australian friends,” he said. “We will resolve this as soon as possible.”
The Lake Hotel said it was “deeply saddened” by the tragic events and said its thoughts were with affected family members and loved ones.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff are our top priorities,” the hotel said in a statement. The hotel said it was “fully cooperating” with local authorities.
“Out of respect for privacy and the ongoing investigation, we cannot provide specific details at this time. We are committed to supporting authorities and providing assistance to affected guests and staff.”
The three-star hotel has 60 guest rooms across three storeys.
The couple had flown from Sydney to Bali for a holiday then went to the Philippines on Monday to visit Cortez’s two children, and decided to take a short break in Tagaytay before returning to Australia, a relative of the woman said.
The remains of Fisk would be flown back to Sydney and the two women would be buried in the Philippines, Tolentino said.
Fisk was a business developer executive at Australian-owned software company Jiwa Financials, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was previously a sales representative at debt collection software company Debtrak and had a long career in business technology.
– with Associated Press and Australian Associated Press
Source: theguardian.com
