BAGUIO CITY — The Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (DESLA) of the Office of the President issued a decision suspending Abra Governor Dominic Valera and Vice-Governor Maria Jocelyn Bernos for a period of one year and six months.

The DESLA decision came after finding the two provincial officials administratively liable for grave misconduct, abuse of authority, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

In a statement, the DESLA said that the ruling stemmed from a complaint filed by Febes Alzate Palcon, the widow of former Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Juan S. Palcon of the municipality of Bucay, Abra.

Palcon complained after another person, instead of her, took the oath as SB member to replace her deceased husband.

The widow insisted that she should be the one to assume her late husband’s position, but the governor instead installed another person in violation of the Local Government Code (LGC).

She also alleged that the person who assumed her husband’s position was endorsed by Valera-Bernos.

On December 2024, the DESLA had placed the governor and the suspended vice governor of Abra under preventive suspension.

According to the DESLA, Valera and Valera-Bernos were expected to uphold the law and strictly apply the provisions of the Local Government Code in the exercise of their official functions and duties, particularly in nominating and appointing a substitute member of the SB, which was elected by the people of Bucay.

The decision also stated that their act of nominating and appointing another person who is not qualified under the LGC and their deliberate failure to act on the earlier substitution filed by Palcon despite her compliance with the processes and requirements under the LGC tainted the integrity of their respective offices.

DESLA issued its decision on 8 January 2025, and it was received by the Legal Service of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The decision was signed by DESLA counsel Atty. Anna Liza G. Logan.