Fastfood chain shooting leaves 2 managers dead

An assistant manager of a popular fastfood chain on Taft Avenue in Manila shot dead the newly promoted store manager during a staff meeting yesterday before shooting himself.

Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo, chief of Manila Police District (MPD) Station 9, said Louis Perez, 37, single and assistant manager of a McDonald’s restaurant near De La Salle University, shot dead Olive Fernandez, 32, inside the kitchen on the day the latter was to assume the position of store manager.

Initial investigation conducted by the MPD showed that at around 2:20 p.m., a staff meeting was scheduled at the kitchen of the McDonald’s store, which had just a few customers at that time.

The suspect, who was off duty, arrived at the store and proceeded to the kitchen.

Customers said that they heard two gunshots.

Employees who witnessed the incident refused to confirm if there had been a heated altercation between the victim and suspect prior to the shooting. About 20 people were supposed to attend the meeting.

Pedrozo said that Fernandez sustained a single bullet wound in the head.

She was brought to the Manila Sanitarium Hospital in Pasay City, but doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.

"The crew said Fernandez and Perez were quite close," Pedrozo said. "They would even eat their meals together."

After shooting Fernandez, Perez ran to the roof where he put the 9mm pistol to his mouth and squeezed the trigger.

"He might have thought of escaping, but for still unknown reasons, he decided to commit suicide," Pedrozo said.

His body found near the exhaust on the roof. The pistol was found between his legs. Policemen at the scene said Perez had a spare magazine in his pocket.

Several questions, however, remained unanswered.

"He was wearing two shirts, a blue shirt on top of a gray shirt. He was also wearing shorts underneath his pants," Pedrozo said.

Police said they are looking at two possible motives.

"One, the crime was work-related since during the meeting, Fernandez was supposed to formally assume the position as store manager. The second is if they had a relationship. But right now we are putting more weight on professional jealousy," he said.

Philip Cuazon Jr., of franchisee McPhilip Food Industries Inc., said they will work closely with authorities.

"I deeply regret this very unfortunate incident and grieve over the loss. My staff and I sympathize with the respective families and we will work closely with the authorities to uncover the truth about this isolated incident," he said.