MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice has approved the criminal indictment of former Batangas vice governor Richard “Ricky” Recto and at least five others in connection with the alleged attempt to kill former Gov. Armando Sanchez in 2006.
In an 18-page resolution issued yesterday or exactly three years after the incident, the DOJ said it has found probable cause in the complaint filed against Recto and other respondents during preliminary investigation and recommended the filing of charges of double murder with frustrated murder before the Batangas Trial Court.
Also recommended for indictment are lawyer Christopher Belmonte, Christina Antonio, Bettina Balderama, 1st Lt. Angelbert Gay and Lt. Junior Grade Kiram Sadava.
No bail was recommended by the investigating prosecutor of the DOJ for the filing of the information in court.
“Records show that there is conspiracy. In conspiracy, it is essential that there must be unity of purpose and unity in the execution of the unlawful object. We are satisfied that the existence of conspiracy can be clearly concluded from the conduct and concerted acts of the respondents,” the DOJ stated in the resolution signed by Acting Batangas City Prosecutor Fidel Macauyag.
Recto, elder brother of National Economic Development Administration director Ralph Recto and the brother-in-law of incumbent Batangas governor Vilma Santos-Recto, was tagged as the mastermind in the bombing of Sanchez’s Humvee vehicle on June 1, 2006 that badly injured him and killed his security aide PO2 Eric Landicho and driver Luisito Icaro.
According to the DOJ findings, Recto was the principal accused by inducement in his personal desire to unseat Sanchez and for funding the assassination attempt.