Family driver shot dead

A family driver was shot dead in front of four children he was supposed to bring to school in Quezon City yesterday morning.

Larry Albiola, 34, died on the spot from three gunshot wounds in his head and torso. The four children in the black Mitsubishi Adventure (ZPX-197) were unharmed in the attack.

Investigators are looking into two possible angles: the alleged jealousy of the husband of Albiola’s employer, who is reportedly a policeman; and the purported grudge of the victim’s former best friend, who was sacked from his job as the family driver after Albiola was hired.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, refused to divulge the identities of the husband of the employer and Albiola’s estranged friend, saying they still could not be considered as suspects pending further investigation.

Case investigator Senior Police Officer 2 Leonardo Pasco said the incident happened just before 7 a.m. along Esteve Street in Barangay Commonwealth.

Pasco said the three children of Albiola’s employer were already in the vehicle and they just passed by the area to pick up another student who was carpooling with them.

“Just as the fourth kid had boarded the backseat of the vehicle and was about to close the (vehicle’s door), the suspect emerged and shot at the direction of the driver,” Pasco said in an interview.

He said Albiola managed to evade the first shot and even covered one of the children with his body. The gunman shot Albiola three more times then walked away from the vehicle.

Witnesses described the suspect as wearing pants, a jacket and a mask, all colored black.

Albiola’s sister told investigators that her brother received threatening messages from the husband of his employer, who is reportedly a member of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police.

The supposed text messages, telling Albiola to “stay away from my wife,” came last October, the victim’s sister said.

Albiola’s wife said the victim could not have had an affair with his employer. But Pasco said they still could not pin down the employer’s husband since the supposed text messages had been erased from the victim’s cell phone.

Pasco said there was a report that Albiola had a falling out with his best friend after the latter lost his job as family driver of their employer shortly after Albiola was hired.

It was even the best friend who recommended Albiola to their employer, Pasco said.