**Exhibit 31.1**

I, Thomas M. Petro, certify that:

1.     I have reviewedthis Form 10-Q of Northeast Pennsylvania Financial Corp.;

2.     Based    on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a materialfact or omit to state amaterialfact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances underwhich such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period coveredby this report;

 3.     Basedon myknowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information includedin this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition,results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periodspresented in this report;

4.     The registrant’sother certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintainingdisclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e)and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

|   | (a)    | Designed        such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls        and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material        information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,        is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during    the period in which this report is being prepared; ****                            |
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|   | (b)    | Evaluated        the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures        and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness        of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period    covered by this report based on such evaluation; and                                                                                                                              |
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|   | (c)    | Disclosed        in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial        reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter        (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report)        that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,        the registrant’s internal controlover financial reporting; and |

5.     The    registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our    most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the    registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of    directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

|   | (a)    | All significant        deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal        control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely        affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report    financial information; and |
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|   | (b)    | Any fraud,        whether or not material, that involves management or other employees        who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over    financial reporting.                                                                                                       |
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| Date: May    14, 2004 |        | /s/     | Thomas    M. Petro__________________     |
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|                  |   |                        | Thomas    M. Petro                       |
|                  |   |                        | President    and Chief Executive Officer |
|                  |   |                        |                                     |

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