The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) en banc favored a mayoral candidate of Pidigan, Abra over a petition to disqualify him, giving him the go-ahead to continue his bid in the 12 May 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).

In its resolution, the COMELEC en banc denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Joseph Domino Valera, stating that they found no cogent reason to reverse the earlier decision dismissing the disqualification petition against Artemio Cirilo Donato Jr., who is running for mayor in the municipality of Pidigan. In January 2025, the commission junked Valera’s petition to cancel Donato’s certificate of candidacy (CoC) on residency issues.

"The commission (first division) correctly dismissed the Petition for Petitioner's failure to prove that Respondent was unable to meet the residence qualification under Sec. 39 (a) of the Local Government Code of 1991 and this, the Respondent did not commit any material misrepresentation under Sec. 78 of the Omnibus Election Code that will warrant the cancellation of his CoC," stated the commission.

The resolution stressed that the arguments presented by Valera in his motion for reconsideration were merely a rehash of those previously raised in his original petition.

Valera’s motion for reconsideration, filed on 27 January 2025, was denied by the commission en banc. The body affirmed the earlier decision of the first division of the COMELEC, which was promulgated on 23 January 2025.

In January 2025, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Abra recommended that Pidigan Mayor Valera be placed under preventive suspension for 60 days. The recommendation followed complaints filed by three employees citing grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and violations of the Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials.