MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has instructed the Ilocos Region office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that the mayor and vice mayor of Urdaneta City do not unlawfully carry out their duties.
Urdaneta City Mayor Julio Parayno III and his nephew, Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno, were suspended for a year following an order issued by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on January 3.
“To ensure the full execution of the Decision in OP-DC-Case No. 22-K-090, you are hereby directed to prevent Julio F. Parayno III and Jimmy D. Parayno from unlawfully exercising the powers and performing the functions of the Mayor and Vice-Mayor, respectively,” Remulla stated in a memorandum addressed to the DILG Ilocos Region on Thursday.
“This shall include restraining them from entering the premises of the entire City Hall Building of Urdaneta City and any of its satellite offices and extensions,” he added.
The suspension order, dated January 3, found the two officials administratively liable for grave misconduct and abuse of authority.
The case originated from their decision in 2022 to remove the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay from the city council.
In February, Remulla issued a 10-day deadline for the suspended officials to comply with the order.
