Suspended vice governor asks Marcos to intervene in Abra’s politics

Abra Vice Governor Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to intervene in the politics of her province following the suspension orders she and her father, Abra Governor Dominic Valera, received from Malacañang.

“Yung inaappeal ko na sana maawa si our honorable President, si Apo BBM na maawa siya sa tao sa Abra kasi ngayon ang situation ngayon [yung] Office of the Governor and Vice governor in confusion lalong lalo na yung ordinaryong mamayanan ng Abra, dahil hindi naiinitindihan ang order na binaba ng Office of the (Executive Secretary) and (Department of Interior and Local Government) so nababahala kami dahil nagkakaroon ng kaguluhan in terms of public service,” Bernos told GMA News Online in an interview on Sunday evening.

(I appeal to our honorable President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to have mercy on the people of Abra because right now, the situation is that the Office of the Governor and Vice Governor has been thrown in confusion, especially the ordinary people of Abra because they do not understand the order of the Office of the Executive Secretary and Department of the Interior and Local Government so we are concerned because there is a disturbance in terms of public service.)

“So yun yung ia-appeal ko sana sa honorable President na tulungan naman kami, kawawa naman yung mga taga Abra,” Bernos said. “Baka hindi niya alam yung nangyayari dito sa Abra. Baka hindi niya alam yung panggigipit ni ES dito sa Abra.”

(So, I’m appealing to the honorable President to help us, the people in Abra. Maybe he doesn't know what's happening here in Abra. Maybe he is unaware what ES is doing to Abra.)

“ES” is referring to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who told GMA News Online that he is not aware of Valera-Bernos’ appeal to the President.

“If there is one, the Valeras should accept that there is a process ongoing, and they have been suspended in accordance with pre-existing (not whimsical) rules,” Bersamin told Palace reporters.

“The vice governor is suffering suspension as the result of a final decision. On the other hand, the governor has been subjected to a preventive suspension allowed under the law to stop him from influencing witnesses during his investigation,” he added.

Malacañang ordered the suspension of Valera-Bernos for ordering the lockdown of a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The suspension was directed by the Office of the President through the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs. The DILG served the suspension order on Bernos.

The Ombudsman previously dismissed a similar complaint against Bernos on May 4, 2022. However, the suspension order was served on Aug. 20.

Meanwhile, Valera-Bernos’ suspension stemmed from the complaint against her and her father for allegedly violating the Local Government Code when they appointed another person to replace a councilor who died in 2023.

Valera-Bernos said under the Local Government Code, the party of the deceased councilor would choose a replacement, in which she was the provincial chairman at the time.

She added they are still waiting for the suspension order, which was released earlier this month, to be served by the DILG.

A Sangguniang Panlalawigan member is currently the acting governor and vice governor of Abra.

“The vice governor earlier resorted to judicial remedy but her resort failed because of her own blunder,” Bersamin said

“It is time for the Valeras to man up. They have been unchecked for a long time because of their money and illegal use of influence. Now is the time for justice to be meted in favor of the people they have aggrieved for a long time. Accountability is at last staring them in the face,” he added.

Election 2025

Valera-Bernos claims the suspension orders could be a case of political harassment as their family and that of Bersamin will be running for the same posts in the 2025 Midterm Elections in Abra.

“Since kalaban naman namin itong family ni ES, yung posibilidad na political harassment na ito, at Malacanang yung pinanggalingan nung orders, malamang may bahid ng politika ito. I know ayaw ng mahal nating Pangulo, itong nangyayari dito sa amin,” Bernos said.

(Since our family will go against the family of ES Bersamin, there is a possibility that the nature of these suspension orders is political harassment. It’s probable this has a hint of politics. I know the President does not want this.)

Valera-Bernos is seeking reelection while her son, Vice Mayor Joaquin Enrico Bernos, will run as Governor in Abra. They will be facing former Governor Eustaquio “Takit” Bersamin and Board Member Ann Bersamin.
—RF, GMA Integrated News