Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 4) — A former journalist and consultant at the Department of Finance was killed in an ambush in San Juan City Thursday night.
Michael Marasigan, 60, and his brother Christopher, 50, died of gunshot wounds after they were attacked by suspects riding in tandem at around 6:10 p.m. on Thursday, police said. They were traveling along Barcelona St. in Barangay Sta. Lucia.
The two gunmen, whose motorcycle bore no license plate, fired multiple shots at the two victims who were on board a silver SUV.
Police recovered more than 30 bullet shells from the crime scene.
Authorities are still investigating the possible motive behind the killing. Pursuit operations are ongoing.
Marasigan was a resident of Barangay Onse in San Juan and his brother, of Barangay Sta. Lucia.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Friday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel probe on the Marasigan slay.
“Aside from catching the perpetrators, we want to know the real motives behind the attack on the victims,” Aguirre said in a statement. “Our goal is to prevent similar attacks in the future. We want our NBI to explore all angles.”
Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez expressed grief over the killing of his communications consultant and friend of 30 years.
“I am both saddened and shocked,” Dominguez said in a statement on Friday. “My deepest condolences go to the family of Mike and that of his brother, Christopher.”
He called on law enforcement officials to find and prosecute the suspects.
He said Marasigan was “a highly respected journalist and public relations man.”
“As my communications consultant, he was always prompt, thorough and very good at what he did, which was to assist the DOF in relaying its key messages and programs to the public,” Dominguez said.
Marasigan formerly worked as editor for Businessday, which later became BusinessWorld. When it launched its website in 1995, he became the first online editor-in-chief of one of the first digitized newspapers in the Philippines and in East Asia.
Marasigan, whose Facebook page says his most recent job was “to travel around the Philippines,” also worked as an independent video producer of travel and lifestyle channel Living Asia Channel.
CNN Philippines’ Eimor P. Santos and Triciah Terada contributed to this report.
