SHOT DEAD ON HOLIDAY

Popular Tasmanian fishing identity gunned down in Philippines

A TASMANIAN man murdered while on holidays in the Philippines was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, his grieving family say.

Margate man Anthony Wilson, 61, was shot and killed on Friday outside a hardware store. A local woman was also killed, while another male victim escaped. An Australian man has been arrested.

THE son and daughter of a Tasmanian man murdered while on holiday in the Philippines have remembered their father as an extremely well-liked and generous man.

Retired abalone diver Anthony George Wilson, 61, of Margate, was shot and killed on Friday in Olongapo City.

Police in the Philippines have arrested Australian Michael Justin McLaren, 52, for the killings of Mr Wilson and Filipina woman Mila Bailey, 41.

The shootings occurred in a car parked outside a hardware store.

Ms Bailey’s husband, Wayne Bailey, 71, who was also in the car, managed to escape and was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was shot in the chest.

Their young daughter who was also inside the red Mitsubishi Mirage was uninjured.

Local media reports that authorities are investigating a business deal involving Mr and Mrs Bailey as a possible motive for the attack.

Mr Wilson was the owner of the Crazy Horse Bar Subic, while Mrs Bailey owned the

Gum Leaves Beach Resort. Two of Mr Wilson’s children Shane Wilson, 32, and Amy Wilson, 40, both of Hobart, told the Mercury it appeared their father had simply been “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

He had been in the country for less than a week.

Amy said her father had befriended Mr Bailey on a previous trip to the Philippines.

“Dad met Wayne on holiday over there and they used to go and have meals together,” she said.

“As far as we know they were heading to do their normal thing of going to have something to eat and do some shopping.

“From what we’ve been told Dad didn’t know who [the shooter] was.”

Mr Wilson was a father of five and grandfather of seven.

He was known to many as Tony, or “Corky” within the fishing industry.

He was well-known in sporting circles for his involvement in motorcycle racing and his generous sponsorship of young sportspeople.

He was also a former publican, having owned the Victoria Tavern in the Hobart CBD.

“He was extremely wellliked and generous and was an active and well-loved member of the Tasmanian fishing community for over 40 years,” Shane said.

Mr Wilson was a seasoned international traveller to destinations across Europe and Asia.

Amy and Shane saw their father last week before he left for the Philippines and said he had been planning to stay in the country for a few months.

“He has been spending a lot of time there recently, because he doesn’t like the cold weather here,” Shane said.

Amy and Shane said while they hoped for answers over their father’s death, their focus was bringing his body home so he could be farewelled by friends and family.

They said the process was proving “extremely difficult”, but they were being helped by a close family friend in the Philippines.

“It’s been a nightmare,”

Amy said.

“We’ve all been heartbroken but we’ve just tried to keep busy because that’s what he would want.”

Olongapo police chief Colonel Benjamin Sembrano said Mr McLaren allegedly paid cash for a hotel and restaurant from the Baileys, GMA Network reported.

Mr McLaren reportedly said he did not have any proof of purchase when questioned by police. Local authorities said Mr McLaren was arrested in his hotel room about three hours after the shooting.

He was found with a gun and live ammunition.

“Appropriate criminal complaints against the arrested suspect are now being prepared for filing in court,” Filipino police said in a statement on social media.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman told News Corp they were “providing consular assistance to the two Australians and their families who were the victims of a serious incident in the Philippines”.

“The department stands ready to provide consular assistance, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter, to the other Australian who was involved in the incident.”