Abra town mayor suspended two days after father-sister suspended by Palace

BAGUIO CITY (January 13, 2025)- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Abra last Friday, January 10, 2025, recommended the municipal mayor of Pidigan to be placed under preventive suspension for two months (60 days), just two days after his father-sister Governor-Vice Governor were also suspended for 18 months by the Office of the President (OP).



The provincial board recommended the suspension of Pidigan Mayor Joseph Domino Valera while investigation on complaints of Grave misconduct, Conduct Unbecoming of a Public Officer, Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service and Violation of Codes of Ethical Standard for Public Office were filed by three employees alleging the town mayor and municipal treasurer Apollo Palecpec did not release their year-end bonuses equivalent to one-month salary and cash gifts of P5,000.

Municipal employees Arnulfo M. Bisares and Melvin Dumlao in their December 2024 complaint claimed they did not receive their year-end bonus and cash gifts for 2023. Also, Dumlao together with Jumel Chong complained that Valera and Palecpec did not release their mid-year bonus equivalent to one month salary and cash gifts for May 2024.

The SP members believed that the non-release of the mid-year, year-end bonus and cash gifts of Chong ,Dumlao and Bisares for the year 2023 suggest “a deliberate intent on the side of Valera to withhold the benefits of the complainants causing injury and damage to them”. 

The SP summoned Valera and Palecpec on December 26, 2024 to explain, but the mayor reportedly refused to receive the summons, which prompted the provincial board to consider such refusal a sign of disrespect.

During the clarificatory hearing last January 10, 2025, the complainants presented their witnesses, Pidigan Vice Mayor Noel Bisares, Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Members Josephine Dalere, Victor Paculdar and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Lexen Apolinar that revealed the three employees did not even receive their benefits. 

The SP members then resolved to recommend the preventive suspension of Valera for 60 days in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Code (LGC), while the officials decided not to recommend the suspension of Palecpec because it requires a written complaint before the Bureau of Local Government Finance under the Department of Finance.

The resolution was copy-furnished to the Department of Local Interior Government (DILG) Abra and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) Bangued, Abra branch.

"18-month suspension of Gov, VGov father-sister"

Only last Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (DESLA) of the Office of the President (OP) finally ruled to suspend Mayor Valera’s father Abra Governor Dominic Valera and the Mayor’s sister Vice-governor Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos, for 18 months, for administrative misteps in handling the replacement of a Sangunniang Bayan member in Bucay town who succumbed to illness in 2023.

DESLA’s ruling came after finding the two Abra provincial officials administratively liable for a grave misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, stemming from the complaint of Febes Alzate Palcon, widow of Bucay Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Juan S. Palcon.

Palcon raised before the Office of the President that another person illegally took oath to replace his husband because then Gov. Valera-Bernos endorsed another person in violation of the Local Government Code.  She also claimed the endorsee was also recognized by then Vice-Gov. Valera as the rightful replacement of his husband.

Earlier on December 2024, the DESLA placed Valera and Vice-Governor under preventive suspension pending the final decision on the complaint by Palcon.

The DESLA pointed out that Valera and Valera-Bernos “are expected to uphold the law and strictly apply the provisions of the Local Government Code (LGC) 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 the respective offices they are holding”.

The January 8, 2025 DESLA ruling, signed by Atty. Anna Liza G. Logan, was received by the Legal Service of the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG)