By David Clegg

THE BROTHER of the Dundee man murdered in the Philippines believes he may have been killed after intervening in a lover’s tiff.

The development emerged last night as police investigating the stabbing of Gordon Barker confirmed to The Courier they were following a new lead.

Senior police officer Edgardo Ko said they were now focusing their efforts on trying to trace a couple spotted arguing near the scene of the 51-year-old’s death.

He refused to be drawn on whether the couple were being treated as suspects or witnesses in the murder.

“The couple were seen arguing as they left the place Mr Barker was murdered,” he said.

“Efforts are continuing to trace the couple.”

Mr Barker was murdered on November 14 as he walked through the Malate area of Manila, stabbed twice in what police initially described as a bungled robbery.

After being attacked around 3am, he managed to flag down a taxi, which took him to hospital. He was later pronounced dead.

The news of the lead emerged last night after Mr Barker’s siblings Frank and Wendy returned to Dundee with his ashes.

Frank said there was a rumour circulating in Manila that his brother tried to intervene in the domestic dispute.

“The person that seems to have known Gordon best over there was his secretary,” he added.

“What she told me is that he was such a nice guy, if there were two people arguing and the girl was being abused, he might have intervened to try to help the girl.

“I’m inclined to believe that might be what happened. I have seen the area where he was killed and it doesn’t seem to make sense that he would have been there otherwise.

“One side of the road is considered less safe than the other because of the level of lighting. It is known to be where drug dealers and the like hang out.

“By all accounts he wouldn’t normally have been there. Why was he across at that side of the road?

“I asked his secretary directly what she thought had happened and she said she thought he had probably got involved in the domestic dispute.

“It seems to be the only thing that makes sense.”

Frank added that he was still angry about the lack of help he and his sister were given by Foreign Office officials in the Philippines.

The stress of the situation became too much for Wendy and she collapsed at the airport before departure.

She had to be helped on to the plane by airline staff using a wheelchair.

Mr Barker’s ashes will be interred on Friday at the Eastern Cemetery at 12.50pm.