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Auckland man Nick Stacey died while on holiday after being shot by muggers.
An Auckland man was doing a laundry run when he was fatally shot in the chest while on holiday in the Philippines before muggers stole his girlfriend’s phone and wallet.
Filipino Police have named Nicholas Stacey, 34, as the man who was attacked by unidentified assailants riding motorcycles in a suburban street in Manila’s Makati financial district.
The slain victim’s girlfriend, Pamela Gaye Villanoza, told investigators that she and Stacey had just arrived in the capital region from a holiday trip in the western island province of Palawan and were walking to a laundry shop in the early hours after midnight when the suspects approached on a motorcycle, AP reports.
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One of them alighted and pointed a pistol at the couple while his companion parked the motorcycle a few metres away. Stacey grappled with the armed man and was shot and killed, she said.
Before fleeing, the gunman, who was wearing a black shirt and red athletic shorts, took the cellphone and wallet of Stacey’s girlfriend, police said.
Uncredited/AP
A massive Philippine police search was underway on Wednesday for two motorcycle-riding men who shot and killed the New Zealand man in a brazen street robbery.
Police have ordered a manhunt of two identified suspects, AP reports.
Investigators would try to match a slug found in the area and compare it with slugs recovered from other recent crime scenes in the heavily populated metropolis to try to identify the suspects and assess how they operate, police said.
In a statement to media, police chief general Jonnel Estomo said he knew the incident had the potential to cause fear among tourists visiting the country.
Police would ensure the attackers would be held to account, he said.
Meanwhile, a Givealittle page has been started to cover the cost of bringing Stacey’s body back to New Zealand.
Stacey’s sister-in-law Shaina Murray said friends and family had been devastated by the loss of “a young, kindhearted, selfless and loving man”.
“He was deeply passionate about Child Rescue, working to spread the word of what they did, for around 10 years,” she wrote.
“As a volunteer with the Student Volunteer Army, Nick shopped for and delivered over 50 grocery orders to vulnerable people during the Covid lockdowns.”
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Stacey’s family has started a Givealittle to raise funds to bring his body back to New Zealand.
Nearly $6000 had been raised through the Givealittle page as of Wednesday morning.
A death notice in the New Zealand Herald said Stacey was “cruelly taken” from his family while on holiday.
He was a “truly and deeply loved son” and “loyal brother”, it said.
“Nick truly was a unique and caring member of our family.”
– additional reporting by AP
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