Ate Vi running for Batangas gov

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga – Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos will definitely run for governor of Batangas, according to her husband, re-electionist Sen. Ralph Recto.

"It is possible that Pampanga will have its first female governor as Batangas will definitely have its first female governor," Recto told The STAR in an interview here yesterday.

He was referring to provincial board member Lilia Pineda, who is running for Pampanga governor under the pro-administration Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party against incumbent Gov. Mark Lapid; and his wife Vilma, who is now on her third and last term as mayor of Lipa City.

Recto expressed hope that his brother, Batangas Vice Gov. Ricky Recto, who has already expressed his intention to run for governor in his province, would change his mind and run for Congress instead.

"We feel that once he (Ricky) knows seriously that Vilma will run for governor he will have to give up the fight and run for Congress. He has a better chance of winning (in the congressional polls)," Recto said, adding that he, his wife and his brother still have to talk about this.

Recto said his wife has no political party yet, but stressed she "will definitely be with the administration, either Lakas or Kampi."

He said his wife initially did not want to run for Batangas governor, but "people want her to run. The Church wants her to run. Everyone in the community wants her to run."

"It’s eight to one (ratio between those backing up Vilma’s gubernatorial bid and those who do not want her to run)," Recto stressed.

He also said, "people do not want my brother."

Recto said while it would "not set a good example" for family members to run against one another, in the event that his brother still runs for Batangas governor against his wife, "then people would have more choices."

However, Recto feels certain his brother will eventually opt to run for Congress.

Recto and other senatorial candidates of the administration’s Team Unity were in Pampanga yesterday for a motorcade and a proclamation rally held at the Bren Guiao sports complex here.

Most of them attended Mass and had breakfast in President Arroyo’s hometown of Lubao, Pampanga upon the invitation of Pineda, who marked her 61st birthday yesterday.

Hundreds of residents were there to express their support for the administration’s senatorial candidates.

After a motorcade through Mabalacat and Angeles City, the candidates proceeded to the sports complex in San Fernando for the rally hosted by Lapid, who is seeking re-election under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party.

Lapid earlier said his hosting the rally means that the administration’s senatorial ticket is upholding the "equity of the incumbent" rule that entitles him to be the administration’s official gubernatorial candidate in Pampanga.

But Recto denied this, saying that "local politics we leave to local politicians. We leave it to the local community since at the end of the day, it will be the people who will live with their governors and their local officials."

"National candidates should not get involved in local politics. Both (Lapid and Pineda) are supporters of the President and so I suppose both groups are supporters of Team Unity, and we accept all expressions of support," Recto said.