A DUNDEE man travelling and working in south-east Asia has been killed in the Philippines, it was reported last night.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed the body of a man, believed to be 51-year-old Gordon Barker, was found in the country’s capital, Manila, on Wednesday.

The circumstances of his death are not yet clear, but Foreign Office officials said that local police have launched an investigation.

A spokesperson for the FCO said last night, “Next of kin have been informed, and we are providing assistance to them.”

Mr Barker’s family did not want to comment last night, but one of his close friends told The Courier he was “devastated” by the news.

Keith Kosta met Mr Barker, formerly of Downfield, through the Dundee music scene, as both were DJs. They also worked together in Canada a number of years ago.

He said, “I just can’t believe what’s happened. I’m absolutely shocked.

“I spoke to Gordon just 10 days ago and he seemed quite happy.

“I don’t think things had been working out too well for him in the Philippines, so he was arranging to go back to America.

“The fact he has been killed is so hard to believe.

“Gordon was a really good friend and he’s really going to be missed by a lot of people.

“He is really well-known by a lot of people in Dundee as he used to DJ in clubs here in the 80s.”

Mr Barker had travelled all over the world and was running a hospitality consultancy in the Philippines.

He was educated at Duncan of Jordanstone College and as recently as January featured in The Courier after he became general manager of a popular restaurant in Beijing.

His website says that Mr Barker has worked for almost 30 years worldwide in hospitality industries, acting as a consultant for Fairmont Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Ramee International Hotels and Hilton Hotels.

In addition, he worked for the United Protection Forces in Bosnia, Croatia and Macedonia, the Hotel Rossyia in Moscow, Alpen Rock House in British Columbia, Canada, and in Zurich.

In 1992, Mr Barker was asked to relaunch the first and largest nightclub in Moscow Manhattan Express, near Red Square.

To help in the relaunch he was able to organise one of the largest concerts ever seen in Red Square. It featured UB40 and Simple Minds.

In 2003 he was named “operator of distinction” by the RCI chain for his work with the Panoly Resort in the Philippines.