Ate Vi's brod-in-law among most wanted

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna , Philippines  – The brother-in-law of Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos is now among the most wanted personalities in Region 4A as he is being hunted by police authorities as part of their intensified campaign against criminal elements and private armed groups to ensure honest and peaceful election in the May national elections.

“We are now updating our records for all heinous crimes committed, particularly crimes on election-related and monitoring the movement of some politicians who are maintaining private armed groups and most wanted persons, including former vice governor Richard ‘Ricky’ Recto,” Senior Superintendent Christopher Laxa, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deputy director for Operation, told The STAR.

Laxa said he believes that Recto, a brother of former National Economic Development Authority Secretary Ralph Recto and candidate for senator, is still in the country and hiding in different places.

He said his men and the National Bureau of Investigation are hot on trail to arrest Recto in connection with the attempted slay of ex-Batangas governor Armando Sanchez in 2006.

The Batangas regional trial court under Judge Ruben Galvez issued a warrant of arrest for the complex crime of double murder with frustrated murder against Recto and several John Does.  – Ed Amoroso