BATANGAS CAPITOL, Batangas City — 'Liberal Party can inspire us. Parang nabuhay ang pag-asa ng mga Pilipino. Teamwork ang kailangan."

These are the remarks of Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto after she and her husband former Senator Ralph Recto were formally sworn in as new members of the Liberal Party by LP presidential aspirant Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.

The lady governor also thanked other parties' invitations to join them as vice-presidential candidate but she said that her focus is on the socio-economic progress of Batangas and the welfare of her constituents.

The governor, who hails from the Lakas-CMD party, also disclosed that before she has decided to join the Liberal Party she and the leaders of LP have agreed on a platform of government.

On the other hand, former Senator Recto who is set to join the LP's senatorial slate, has condemned the ambush-killing of the relatives of gubernatorial aspirant in Maguindanao and media men who were supposed to witness the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC).

“Has our democracy become so devalued that the exchange rate is now 46 lives to one CoC? In an election, we may heckle our opponents but we don’t hack them down,” Recto said.

He also said that in our age of computerized elections, decimating the opponents instead of debating with them is a giant leap backward to an uncivilized time.