FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on Friday called on the authorities to go after the killers of his communications consultant Michael Marasigan and his brother.
Dominguez said he was shocked and expressed deep sadness over the death of Marasigan who, according to police reports, was killed by two gunmen on a motorbike in San Juan City Thursday night.
Marasigan’s brother Christopher, who was driving the car he had been riding, also died in the incident.
Marasigan was a former editor of Business Day who later became BusinessWorld’s first online editor.
He was also an independent producer for the Living Asia channel and the creator of ourphilippines.tv.
“I am both saddened and shocked,” Dominguez said.
“My deepest condolences go to the family of Mike and his brother Christopher.”
Dominguez made his statement even as Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel probe into the killings.
“I have signed a Department Order instructing the NBI to conduct a parallel investigation into the August 3, 2017 gun attack that killed former media man Michael D. Marasigan and his brother, businessman Christopher D. Marasigan, in San Juan City,” Aguirre said in a statement.
Dominguez said he had known Mike for over 30 years.
“I and his peers held him in very high regard for his skills and thorough professionalism,” Dominguez said.
“Mike, who always had a kind word for everyone he met, 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 later on Friday said he was in contact with Police Superintendent Romulo Sapitula of the Eastern Police District and two other police generals. He said he asked them to “prioritize the investigation on the incident.”