Abra capital town mayor dismissed by Ombudsman

July 30, 2019 Headlines

BAGUIO CITY (July 23, 2019) – Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered the dismissal of Bangued town mayor Dominic B. Valera for reportedly approving the award of the contract of printing service to a firm owned by the mayor-vice mayor husband-wife tandem’s daughter and son-in-law.
Mayor Valera, his wife, now incumbent Bangued Vice Mayor Mila Acosta Valera, and several other officials were held liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, in an 18- page decision by the anti-graft body.
Vice Mayor Acosta Valera was then the Brgy. Chairman of barangay Zone 5 and proprietor of Abra Petron Service Center, was also ordered suspended for one year without pay, while Officer-in-Charge municipal accountant Henry Bodaño, OIC municipal treasurer Romie Turqueza and Municipal Budget officer Amelia Bersamira were also both dismissed with accessory penalties.
Ombudsman Martires also recommended further fact-finding investigation against [Bids and Awards Committee] BAC members Bersamira, Raphael Peig, Ricardo Purugganan Jr., Jose Antonio Valeros, David Bernal Jr. and Cesar Valera.
The Ombudsman added, “it shall be understood that the accessory penalties attached to principal penalty of dismissal shall continue to be imposed.”
The graft complaint against the officials came when the Bangued LGU entered into several transactions with Abra Petron and DMJS Printing Shop worth more than P1.9 million.
The Ombudsman found out from records that Mayor Valera is the supposed owner of Abra Petron and was managed by his Vice-mayor wife Mila, the printing firm DJMS is owned by the husband-wife tandem’s son-in-law by their daughter Ma. Sylvia Valera-Go.
It was revealed that Mila and Jay actively participated in facilitating the transactions with the municipality and received payments.
Respondents had denied conspiracy and defrauding the government or gaining anything from the transactions arguing that the said companies both participated and won the bidding. Though Ombudsman Martires held that Bodaño, Bersamira and others had the opportunity to stop the unlawful practice of procuring directly from Abra Petron and in transacting with DMJS, they opted to remain silent.
“Under Sec. 47, Rule XV of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR) of Republic Act. No. 9184 o the Government Procurement Reform Act, Sylvia and Jay “are [automatically] disqualified to bid or to transact with the LGU of Bangued for being related to the head of the procuring body,” the anti-graft body cited, adding, “there was a conflict of interest.”
With Mayor Valera’s questioned acts which “tainted the image and integrity of his office and even showed his abuse of authority,” the Ombudsman said, “[He] is hereby meted the penalty of dismissal from office, with accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification to hold public office, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and bar from taking civil service examination.”
Abra governor Ma. Jocelyn Bernos, speaking in behalf of his father and mother said, “the matter is being handled by our legal team”.
Upon the legal team’s advice, she begged off, “we shall refrain from making any comments and will just let the due process of law take in normal course.”
Ombudsman Martires ordered the secretaries of both the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Finance (DOF) to immediately implement the ruling.
First week of July, a re-elected town mayor in Ilocos Norte was also ousted by the DILG citing a verbal communication between Interior secretary Eduardo Año and Ombudsman Martires that “all penalties with suspension or dismissal should continue to be served until such time that a final ruling is obtained.”

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN