An Aussie couple went on holiday to the Philippines. They never made it home.

Tagaytay is a popular holiday town in the Philippines, known for its rolling green hills and stunning lake views. 

Now it's at the centre of a triple murder investigation, with two of the victims Australian tourists. 

David Fisk, 57, and his wife Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, were soaking up the final days of their trip at the four-star Lake Hotel in Tagaytay. The couple had flown from Sydney to Bali for a holiday then went to the Philippines to visit Cortez' family and friends who live in the region. 

Fisk and Cortez decided to take a short break in Tagaytay before returning to Australia. They were joined by Cortez's daughter-in-law, Mary Jane Cortez. 

The couple was scheduled to fly out of the Philippines on Saturday. 

When they hadn't yet checked out of their hotel room on Thursday as scheduled, staff tried to contact the trio. Housekeeping then made the awful discovery.

Watch: the news breaks of the Australian couple's deaths in the Philippines. Post continues below.

Cortez, Fisk and her daughter-in-law were found dead with their hands and feet bound.

The three were face down, sprawled on the floor. Fisk had allegedly died from knife wounds, the two women allegedly suffocated.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs then confirmed the deaths, saying consular assistance was being provided to the families of the two Australians. 

"We send our condolences to the families at this difficult time," a spokesperson said.

Tagaytay mayor Abraham Tolentino said he was shocked by the incident and apologised to the families of the victims. He added that it is a rare heinous crime for the very popular tourism destination.

"We're very sorry to our Australian friends," he said. "We will resolve this as soon as possible."

Early on in the investigation, Tagaytay police chief Charles Daven Capagcuan told the Associated Press the motive for the killings was not known and some valuables, including the victims' phones, were not taken.

David Fisk and Lucita Cortez were nearing the end of their Philippines holiday when they were murdered. Image: Facebook.

It was upon interviewing witnesses and examining security cameras at the hotel that police made a break in the case.

CCTV footage showed a man wearing a mask and a hoodie, carrying a sling bag, who walked out of the victims' room a few hours before their bodies were discovered.

The suspect was identified by at least three hotel employees based on his image that was captured by security cameras showing a part of his masked face.

The identification of the suspect eventually led to his home province of Batangas near Tagaytay where he decided to surrender.

Police say the man was a former hotel pool cleaner who had wanted to get revenge for his dismissal.

Tagaytay Mayor Abraham Tolentino and the Tagaytay police chief presented the handcuffed suspect, wearing a hoodie, dark eyeglasses and a face mask, at a news conference. The man's name was not announced.

The mayor repeated his apology to the relatives of the victims and to Australia for the "brutal crimes" that took place in his city.

"He wanted to get back at the hotel management for his dismissal," police chief Capagcuan told reporters.

Officials planned to file criminal complaints of robbery in addition to the killings against the suspect, who allegedly acknowledged he took the watch and shoes of the Australian man after attacking him.

The families have said Fisk and Cortez have said they are "living a nightmare" and pray for answers.

"The love we have for our father and Lucita is so dear and this situation is like living a nightmare," the family said in a statement on Friday. "We pray for answers and the truth in this horrific matter and just pray for their safe return to Australian shores."

The remains of Fisk are being flown back to Sydney, and Cortez and her daughter-in-law will be buried in the Philippines, officials have confirmed. Authorities have said the government will pay for the women's funerals and burials.

Feature Image: Facebook.