Urdaneta City mayor continues defying Palace suspension

BAGUIO CITY (January 22, 2025)— Urdaneta City Mayor Julio F. Parayno III continues to defy the suspension order of the Office of the President and the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG), insisting he had not done any wrong to deserve such.

Only last Monday, January 20, 2025, Parayno III challenged he will sign his suspension order signed by the Office of the President Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin once it will be served to him. "Ngayon andito ako, ibigay ninyo Ang suspension order ko at pipirmahan ko," he said.

On January 3, 2025, Bersamin signed the suspension order against Parayno and Urdaneta Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno.

Four days later, on January 7, 2025, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 1 taking cue from Bersamin’s decision issued each of the Paraynos a 12 month suspension for Grave Misconduct and Grave Abuse of Authority.

Though, Parayno III claimed he had not received and had not signed the order as he was on sick leave from January 7 to 21, 2025.  According also to him, he filed for a leave but was denied by Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III so he filed for a sick leave instead. “I-deny man o hindi i-grant ng nakaupong governor ang suspension na iyan, sana naririnig niya, ang sick leave ay isang mandato, isang right ng public official na magfile ng sick leave, " he stressed.

The Office of the Governor on January 14, 2025 wrote the DILG Region insisting there was no approved leave for Parayno.  Guico III also wrote Parayno III informing him that his application for vacation leave is still pending and no approved leave on record.

Upon reporting to office Monday, January 20, 2025, Parayno III dared ‘now that he is around, they will give him the suspension order and he will sign it but if there is none then there is no suspension order against him.’

The Palace suspension stemmed from the complaint of barangay captain Michael Brian M. Perez on October 28, 2022 against the mayor and the vice mayor for unjustly removing Perez as president of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) and ex-officio of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Urdaneta on June 15, 2022.  He alleged that the mayor and vice-mayor refused to recognize him as an ex-officio member of the SB despite favorable clarifications on his case from the LnB National and the DILG.

Parayno III however argued that the case was filed by Perez, whom he said is very lazy, after the latter was removed because out of 77 sessions, he only attended 19 and he was even always late.  He further claimed that Perez, in his eight years as LnB President did not implement any single project.

Perez though countered that his suspension was improper because there were no cases or complaints against him.  He also said that his indefinite suspension was illegal, even citing

clarifications from the LnB and DILG.

Parayno III had insisted he did nothing wrong and just implemented the law. He also alluded that Bersamin might have signed a suspension order he did not know because of the voluminous documents the Executive Secretary’s office face on a daily basis. Even the President might have not known about the suspension, the mayor also suspected.

Parayno III also hoped his message will reach Marcos Jr. that, “the one he suspended is working dedicatedly for the public and for the residents of Urdaneta.”  He further vented that Bersamin, whom he said is his friend, once told him that he will protect him and take care of him "ngunit sa ibang banda, ikaw pala ang pipirma ng aking suspension.”

But Bersamin said that they have not received any contest from the camp of the Paraynos on their suspension.