Mayor Vi 80% sure of running for gov

LIPA CITY — Eighty percent.

That, according to city administrator Pedrito Dijan, is the probability that Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto would run for governor of Batangas in the May elections after serving three consecutive terms as Lipa’s chief executive.

Santos-Recto, according to Dijan, said so when she met with the city’s barangay officials during a training seminar at the Subic Freeport.

"We have made our assessments in the second district of Batangas and majority of the mayors are ours already," he told The STAR in a mobile phone interview.

Comprising the second district are Batangas City and the towns of Mabini, Lobo, Bauan, San Pascual, San Luis and Tingloy.

Asked who her running mate would be if she pursues her gubernatorial bid, Dijan said, "We are still discussing the matter."

Sought for comment, Santos-Recto confirmed her pronouncement to the city’s barangay officials, but said her final decision would depend on the political plans of her brother-in-law, Vice Gov. Ricky Recto.

In previous interviews, she hinted that she would drop her gubernatorial plans if Ricky would seek the position.

Both she and her husband, Sen. Ralph Recto, earlier said that it would not look good to the public if she and Ricky would be pitted against each other in the gubernatorial race.

Ricky refused to comment on his sister-in-law’s pronouncement. "Hindi pa kasi kami nag-uusap (We have not talked yet)," he told The STAR.

Sources said President Arroyo wooed Santos-Recto to run for governor in 2004 but she decided to seek her third and last term as mayor.