A Japanese national living in Japan is suspected of ordering the killing of two fellow Japanese men in Manila, with a financial dispute being the likely motive, Philippine police said Tuesday.

Authorities said the suspect allegedly hired two Filipino brothers to kill the two men, paying them an initial down payment of 10,000 Philippine pesos ($174) toward an agreed fee of 9 million pesos ($157,233). The brothers — Albert Manabat, 50, and his tour guide sibling, Abel Manabat, 62 — have been arrested over the murders.

Investigators believe the Japanese suspect had traveled frequently to the Philippines and became acquainted with Abel, who served as his driver. Police allege he then asked the brothers to carry out the shooting.

The victims were identified as Hideaki Satori, 53, a systems engineer from Fukuoka Prefecture, and Akinobu Nakayama, 41, from Shizuoka Prefecture.

The two men, who often visited the Philippines for casino trips, had arrived on Aug. 14, a day before the attack. They were gunned down on the night of Aug. 15 shortly after stepping out of a taxi near their hotel.

Their luggage was then stolen, and the perpetrators fled on a motorcycle.

Philippine police formed a special task force to deal with the case and were able to locate the brothers based on CCTV footage, according to reports from The Manila Times. The brothers were referred to prosecutors Tuesday, and police are investigating the whereabouts of another Filipino accomplice. Prosecutors questioned the two the same day on charges including murder.

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official in charge, who asked to remain anonymous in line with ministry regulations, said Wednesday the ministry would cooperate with local police in the Philippines and in Japan as investigators in both countries continue to look into the case.

The Philippine Department of Tourism issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the incident in the “strongest terms.”

“We extend our deepest sympathies to (the victims’) families and loved ones,” the statement read. The department also called on local law enforcement agencies and the national police to pursue a “swift and thorough” investigation.

As a city with deep ties to Japan, Manila "stands in solidarity with the victims' families and remains resolute in ensuring that justice is served," Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagosa said in a statement.