The victims were identified as David James Fisk, 57, and his wife Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, a Philippine-born Australian citizen.
Lucita Barquin Cortez and David James Fisk had flown from Sydney to Bali for a holiday and were taking a short break in the Philippines before returning to Australia. Credit: Supplied
Tagaytay police chief Charles Daven Capagcuan told the Associated Press that the breakthrough in the week-old case came when at least three hotel employees identified the suspect based on his image, captured by security cameras showing a part of his masked face.
The identification of the suspect eventually led to his home province of Batangas near Tagaytay where he decided to surrender, Capagcuan said.
Officials planned to file criminal complaints of robbery in addition to the killings against the suspect, who allegedly acknowledged he took the watch and shoes of the Australian man after attacking him with a knife and suffocating his partner, and her Filipina daughter-in-law, Capagcuan said.