Police in hot pursuit of ex-Batangas vice governor

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna , Philippines   – Police are now hot on the trail to arrest former Batangas vice-governor Richard “Ricky” Recto in connection with the attempted-slay of ex-Batangas governor Armando Sanchez in 2006.

In an interview with The STAR, Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, Calabarzon police director, said he ordered his men to launch a nationwide manhunt against Recto, a brother-in-law of Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos. “Even without reward, it is our duty to serve the warrant issued by the court against him. We will never stop hunting him down, until we arrest Recto,” Palad said.

He said he ordered his intelligence division and the Batangas police to coordinate with other police agencies and military intelligence units to trace Recto’s whereabouts.

Palad also called on the media not to come out with news regarding Recto especially if the issue is sensitive, because instead of helping the police for the immediate arrest of a person and to solve the case, it will cause some drawbacks.

Superintendent Romano Cardiño, deputy regional director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said he is now coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to include in the watchlist the former Batangas vice governor.

Yesterday, Sanchez offered P1 million reward for the arrest of Recto in connection with the attempt on his life.

According to his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Sanchez’s legal counsel, Sanchez is also offering P500,000 each for the arrest of Recto’s co-accused lawyer Christopher Belmonte, Christina Antonio and a certain Bettina Balderama.

On Tuesday the Batangas City regional trial court under Judge Ruben Galvez issued a warrants of arrest for the complex crime of double murder with frustrated murder against Recto and several John Does.