UK pastor killed in Philippines

Pastor David Brash left the UK for the Philippines six weeks ago

A British clergyman has been murdered in the Philippines, local press reports have said.

Pastor David Brash, 62, a Baptist minister from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed by hitmen hired by his Filipino wife, Manila's Inquirer reported.

Analyn Batalyer Brash, 23, is now in police custody and is to be charged later, the paper said.

Reports claimed Mr Brash's body was found burned in a swamp on Saturday on the island of Mindanao.

'Confession'

The Inquirer's website quoted Senior Supt Ramon Espiritu, deputy police chief for operations in the Caraga region in the north of Mindanao, who identified the victim as Mr Brash.

The report said Mrs Brash allegedly confessed her role in the murder and will be charged on Tuesday.

He seemed very happy and this tragic news has come as a terrible shock Pastor Walter Johnston

Mr Brash, a father-of-two, ran the Runcorn Independent Baptist Church in Cheshire for 12 years, but left Britain to begin a new life with his wife, who he married last year.

He met her in a church near her home in Mindanao, where he went on to work repairing computers and giving them to churches.

Stuart Hart, secretary of Runcorn Independent Baptist Church, said he was "saddened" and "shocked" by the news.

"He was a very godly man and worked very hard for the church.

Tragic news

"He had been going to the Philippines for about five years doing missionary projects, that is, I believe, how he met his wife."

Pastor Walter Johnston, who has been helping Mr Brash's former parishioners since he left six weeks ago, said the last time he saw Mr Brash was "when he was packing up his gear and saying goodbye".

"He seemed very happy and this tragic news has come as a terrible shock."

Mr Johnston added that he heard of Mr Brash's death "through the grapevine" of the local clergy.

Stephen Rees, of The Grace Baptist Church in Stockport, said he had been following reports in the Filipino media and that the victim "appears to be David".

The Foreign Office said it was "aware of reports about David Brash" but could not confirm any details.