34 Batangas mayors to ask Vi to run for gov

At least 34 city and municipal mayors in Batangas will formally ask Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos today to run for governor even if it causes a rift within the Recto family, administration sources said yesterday.

"What the mayors would tell Ate Vi (Santos’ monicker) is that this is para sa bayan (for the province)," a ranking administration official said, amid a brewing rift between Santos’ husband, re-electionist Sen. Ralph Recto and his brother, Batangas Vice Gov. Ricky Recto, who wants to challenge incumbent Gov. Armand Sanchez in the coming polls.

The senator naturally sided with his wife after his brother complained that he is not getting much-needed support from his family.

But the senator said that anybody can run and give the people of Batangas more choices.

The administration official said the call would be made at the Lipa City Hall during the flag-raising ceremonies this morning,

The official added that the 34 mayors reportedly said that "the province is more important than the family when it comes to public service."

Santos earlier announced that she is no longer challenging her brother-in-law for the governorship of the province to preserve family harmony.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, however, said that the administration would support Santos if she runs for governor as a member of the ruling Lakas Christian and Muslim Democrats.