Ombudsman dismisses Urdaneta mayor, vice mayor, 6 councilors

Urdaneta City, Pangasinan (October 16, 2026) — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service Urdaneta City, Pangasinan Mayor Julio Fernandez Parayno III, Vice Mayor Jimmy Dereje Parayno, and six city councilors over consolidated administrative complaints involving their alleged defiance of a presidential suspension order.

The case stemmed from a 12-month suspension imposed by the Office of the President against the mayor and vice mayor for grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority. On Jan. 7, 2025, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) personnel attempted to serve the suspension order, but staff members reportedly refused to receive the documents, while the vice mayor’s office was found locked and chained, prompting the implementation of substituted service through the posting of notices on office doors.

Despite the service of the suspension order, the mayor and vice mayor continued performing official functions, including issuing memorandums, signing checks and attending public events. They maintained that the service was defective and violated election-period prohibitions.

Meanwhile, the six councilors allegedly evaded service of their designation orders and refused to assume their assigned acting positions to fill the temporary vacancies.

In its ruling, the Ombudsman cited the Regional Trial Court’s validation of the constructive service conducted on January 7, 2025. It found the mayor and vice mayor liable for grave misconduct for continuing to exercise their official functions, while the six councilors were held liable for gross neglect of duty for allegedly evading service and refusing to perform their designated responsibilities under the Local Government Code.

Aside from dismissal, the penalties include cancellation of civil service eligibility, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, a bar from taking civil service examinations and forfeiture of retirement benefits.

The Ombudsman, however, dismissed the alternative charges of grave abuse of authority, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a public official, and disgraceful and immoral conduct against the mayor and vice mayor.