Avid surfer Reginald Rene Hodgens, 70, was shot at point-blank range outside his rental unit in Sinait, north of Manila, in October.

The murder’s savagery has shocked his siblings.

“There’s been a wrongdoing here, no one deserves to be shot,” Mr Hodgens’ brother Ronald told The Courier-Mail from his home in Perth. “It’s devastating.”

Earlier consular advice stated a murder charge had been filed against the man suspected of murdering Mr Hodgens.

Police in the Philippines described the man as “a known gun-for-hire” in the area, likely to be acting on the instructions of others.

The man was seen near Mr Hodgens’ home by a 10-year-old boy just prior to the execution-style shooting.

The alleged hitman had scared the child away by showing him a gun.

The boy ran home to alert his father and a few moments later they heard a shot ring out.

The young witness was taken to the police station where he identified the gunman from a “rogue’s gallery” identification board, government documents said.

A black-and-white photo of the murder scene, released by police, shows Mr Hodgens lying dead outside a gated unit.

After the murder charge was filed with the courts the suspect was asked to lodge a counter-affidavit, as is practice in the Philippines.

Documents show this was done last month with prosecutors now weighing up whether to lay formal charges.

Speculation for what triggered the hit on Mr Hodgens has centred on a court matter he recently filed against a Filipino.

In the weeks leading up to his murder, Mr Hodgens had been seen with a black eye.

After launching the court case he left his home in ­Cabugao and started renting in Sinait.

He was found with a gun shot wound to his head just before 8pm on October 15, local media reported.

Mr Hodgens was born in Brisbane and worked as a carpenter in Townsville before leaving to pursue a dream of surfing all over the world. His Townsville-based brother Mike said he was a keen outdoorsman, well educated and a good tradesman who had never married.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would not comment, citing privacy laws.

“DFAT is providing consular assistance, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter, to the family of an Australian man who died in the Philippines,” a spokeswoman said.