Thursday, February 22, 2007 Batangas vice guv won't give way to sis-in-law for guv post
BATANGAS Vice Governor Ricky Recto on Wednesday said he will not change his mind and give way to his sister-in-law, actress and Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto for the governorship in the May 14 elections as he blamed the Arroyo administration for trying to bring dissent in their family.
"I'm sorry my dear brother but I have already made my commitment to run for governor and I intend to keep it. I've been working on this for the past six months and I have been the vice governor for the last 12 years. I have put my life on the line and faced trumped-up murder charges and I intend to finish what I started," said Ricky in an appeal to his brother, re-electionist Senator Ralph in a press briefing in Makati.
Vilma is on her last and third term as mayor of Lipa City.
He criticized Presidential adviser on political affairs Gabriel Claudio and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita for instigating a political feud in their family.
He said Claudio and Ermita were the ones behind the announcement of his sister-in-law running for the post as he said the administration's party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) is having problem with the current governor, Armand Sanchez, while having no viable alternative at the same time.
"The problem of the administration is they want to retain Batangas under their control but they don't have a legitimate candidate for governor there. Only an insane man would want to have a jueteng lord as governor," said Ricky.
Sanchez, who is suspected of running the illegal numbers game jueteng, has a long-running feud with Recto that culminated in the filing of attempted murder charges after an explosion tore his vehicle last year killing his security aide and which Sanchez blamed on Ricky.
Ricky said when the administration party could not find someone to run for governor, Claudio and Ermita convinced his brother to field Santos-Recto.
Ralph had said he hoped that Ricky would change his mind and run instead for Congress, adding that he has a better chance of winning in the congressional race.
But the vice governor said if there is anyone who should back down, it should be his sister-in-law.
"I wish my brother and sister-in-law whom I love very much will resist the temptation after all it would be a great pity if in Batangas and my family, a political family with such great legacy modesty aside. will be destroyed like this. My sister-in-law is a better candidate in terms of winnability but I have the experience and she will not be able to do the job that I can," he said.
Ricky said their family is set to talk about the matter on Monday, adding that he hoped his brother would respect his intention to run for the post. (AH/Sunnex)
