Sanchez rival sworn in as Batangas gov

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday swore in Batangas Vice Gov. Richard Recto as the new top provincial official in place of suspended Gov. Armando Sanchez. Recto took the oath before Interior Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar at the DILG office in Quezon City. Based on a January 12 memorandum issued by DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno, the Office of the Overall Deputy Ombudsman placed Sanchez under preventive suspension for six months without pay over graft charges filed against him. With the May 2007 elections fast approaching, Puno said he was "directed to immediately implement" the suspension order against Sanchez. "You are hereby directed to assume the Office of the Governor threat in an acting capacity while respondent Governor Sanchez' temporary legal incapacity subsists," Puno directed Recto. Recto was "likewise directed to cause the implementation" of suspension orders against other provincial government officials linked to Sanchez's case. These officials are: Mario Lazaro, chair of the provincial bids and awards committee; Victoria Culiat, provincial budget officer; Arsenio Cay Jr, provincial planning and development coordinator; Romelito Ona, acting provincial engineer; and Rolando Montecillo, vice chair of the bids and awards committee. Recto had accused Sanchez of favoring a relative in awarding a computerization deal. Sanchez stayed Monday night inside the provincial capitol while his supporters continued to barricade and stage protest rallies outside their capitol buildings. He reportedly heeded the advice of his department heads and advisers not to leave the capitol. As of Tuesday noon, the number of Sanchez's supporters at the provincial capitol grounds swelled from 200 to about 1,000. Sanchez insisted that he would accept documents from the DILG regarding the suspension, but added that he would refuse to leave the building. Ronaldo Geron, Batangas provincial administrator, received the documents later in the afternoon but added that Sanchez would not give up the governor's office. - GMANews.TV