DOJ clears ex-Batangas Vice Governor Recto of murder

Department of Justice building. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared former Batangas Vice-Governor Richard “Ricky” Recto of two counts of murder, frustrated murder and damage to property in connection with the June 2006 explosion at the Batangas Provincial Capitol that killed two people and injured then Governor Armando Sanchez.

In a 12-page resolution made public Tuesday, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva said they could not find a probable cause to prosecute him for the death of Luisito Icaro and Police Officer 2 Eric Landicho, driver and escort of Sanchez as well as for the injuries sustained by the former governor.

The DOJ said even if witnesses from the military mentioned that Recto talked to some members of the military about destroying a vehicle with C-4, “all statements given are based on hearsay evidence as told to them…”

“These witnesses were not present during the actual planting of the bomb that totally wrecked the vehicle wherein the victims were riding and resulted to the death of the two victims and the serious wounding of the governor,” the DOJ resolution stated.

The DOJ further noted that the witnesses were not even aware as to what time the bomb was planted, how it was planted and what type of bomb was used. Most of all, the DOJ said, who planted the bomb remains unknown up to this time.

“To attribute a crime committed to someone based on the statement of witnesses who do not have first-hand information is not proper,” the DOJ said.