BANGUED, Abra – The Department of the Interior and Local Government has appointed senior provincial board member Russel Bragas as acting vice governor following the final ruling of the Office of the President suspending Vice Gov. Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos for 18 months.
Bragas received his designation on Friday, Nov. 15, from DILG Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla through DILG-Cordillera Regional Director Araceli A. San Juan.
BRAGAS (FB)
Remulla ordered Bragas to take over the post “to prevent hiatus in, and paralysis, of local government operations” under DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-21 that stipulates operational guidelines governing local government operations.
The Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs of the Office of the President suspended Bernos after she was found guilty of oppression, abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming of a public official, and disobedience to national government policies stemming from a complaint filed in December 2020 during the height of the pandemic.
Dr. Voltaire L. Seares, medical director of the Dr. Petronillo Seares Sr. Memorial Hospital here, complained that Bernos imposed an unjust lockdown at the hospital that resulted in the delay and denial of services to the people of Abra.
On Sept. 13, a court in this province granted Bernos’ petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) which lapsed on Sept. 23 against the suspension.
A final and executory order by the Office of the President on Sept. 23 through the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (DESLA) of the Office of the Executive Secretary Anna Liza G. Logan said Bernos failed to file a motion for reconsideration on her suspension before the OP.
She ruled by authority of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin that Bernos did not appeal her suspension before Court of Appeals (CA) which is the proper venue for appeals concerning administrative sanctions by the OP.
“You shall discharge the powers and perform the duties and functions of a vice governor as mandated by law subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations,” Remulla ordered Bragas.