TAGAYTAY, Cavite – Philippine police are investigating a possible link between a third woman and the gruesome murders of an Australian couple at a luxury hotel in Tagaytay City, Cavite, authorities said Friday.
The bodies of David James Fisk, 57, and his wife Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, were discovered Wednesday at The Lake Hotel in Tagaytay, alongside a third victim identified as Mary Jane Cortez, 30, reportedly Lucita’s daughter-in-law.
All three victims were found bound and gagged, with Fisk’s throat slit and the women possibly suffocated, according to Tagaytay police chief Charles Daven Capagcuan.
Investigators are searching for a masked man captured on CCTV entering the victims’ room hours before the bodies were found.
Local police officer Jean Alagos told media the suspect may be connected to Mary Jane Cortez.
The Australian couple had been due to return home on the day of their murder but extended their stay, sources said.
Tagaytay Mayor Abraham Tolentino apologized to Australia, promising a swift resolution to the case. “We were shocked by this incident,” he told local media. “We’re very sorry to our Australian friends.”
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the families of the deceased Australians but declined further comment citing privacy concerns.
Police have activated a tracker team to search exit points in Tagaytay and nearby provinces in an effort to apprehend the suspect.
The Lake Hotel, where the murders took place, is known for its panoramic views of Taal Lake and volcano, located about 90 minutes from Manila.
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