Suspects in Albano slay identified

ILAGAN, Isabela — Police have established that the June 27 killing of this capital town’s mayor in Quezon City was a "crime of passion" and have identified the suspects, including the alleged mastermind, a ranking police official involved in the investigation said yesterday.

The police official, who requested anonymity, said authorities might reveal the suspects’ identities today or within the week.

Albano, 48, half-brother of Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Rodolfo Albano, was gunned down by three ski mask-wearing men, one of whom, the police official said, could be the "husband" of the woman involved in the "love triangle."

The mastermind and possibly one of the gunmen belong to a rich and influential clan in Northern Luzon, said the police official, whose group is part of the joint police team probing the gunslaying.

"They are not politicians but they have strong connections in and out of the government. They are also equally as rich and influential as the Albanos," he said.

He said their findings point to the conclusion that the killing was a "crime of passion," adding that all other angles — politics, business or the involvement of the military, as militant groups alleged — were considered "remote possibilities."

Earlier, local mediamen had tried to get the comment of members of the Albano clan on the "love triangle" angle but they refused to say anything.

The Albanos vowed not to resort to personal vendetta. "We will let the police do their job," mediamen quoted the ERC chairman as saying during Albano’s wake here.

Tonypet Albano, brother of Isabela first district Rep. Rodito Albano, earlier echoed this, saying they would rather see the wheels of justice run their course rather than resort to vendetta.

Albano was laid to rest at the municipal cemetery here last Friday, with thousands of grieving residents paying their last respects to the slain mayor.