BANGUED, Abra, Philippines – A formal complaint has been filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against Abra Rep. Menchie Bernos, first nominee of the Solidarity of Northern Luzon People (Solid North) partylist, and Amador Garcia, schools division superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Abra, for alleged violations of the Omnibus Election Code.
The complaint filed by Abra resident Herminio Zapata stemmed from an incident that took place on Feb. 15, 2025 during the DepEd Abra Education Summit at the Governor Andres Bernos Memorial Gymnasium.
During the event, banners and tarpaulins bearing the name and logo of Solid North were prominently displayed inside the venue. Despite Bernos not holding any official position within DepEd, she and her husband were seen on stage alongside Garcia and other DepEd personnel, raising concerns about the politicization of a government-organized education conference.
It was further alleged that after Bernos delivered a speech, attendees were given gift packages containing tumblers labeled with the Solid North circular logo, its official ballot number, and “Cong Ching Bernos,” In the complainant’s affidavit, evidences showed that each recipient received P3,000 in cash, an act that constitutes vote buying and election-related bribery under the Omnibus Election Code.
The case highlights concerns over the involvement of government officials in election-related activities. Section 261 (a) (1) of the Omnibus Election Code strictly prohibits vote buying and vote selling, while Section 261 (b) penalizes conspiracy to bribe voters.
Abreños have called on the Comelec to act swiftly on the complaint and enforce the necessary penalties against those found violating election laws. They also urged voters to remain vigilant against election-related offenses and report any similar incidents to authorities.