BAGUIO CITY — Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Pangasinan unanimously approved the decision to suspend the mayor of Urdaneta City for  a total of one year.

Under the Provincial Resolution numbered 958-2024 passed this week, the SP members adopted and approved the earlier decision of the Committee on Good Government and Accountability of Public Officers, Justice and Human Rights penalizing Urdaneta City Mayor Julio F. Parayno III for violating two provisions of Republic Act 11032 or Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

The body, however, found the mayor not guilty of violating RA 7160, known as the Local Government Code of 1991. 

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) found him violating RA 11032 when he refused to issue a business permit to REVM Tiposu Poultry Farm Inc. in 2021. This is the basis of Pangasinan SP Committee on Good Government and Accountability for its endorsement in August 2024 for him to be preventively suspended for 90-days. It was signed then by Pangasinan Governor Ramon V. Juico III on 8 August 2024. 

“WHEREFORE, the Committee finds respondent Parayno I GUILTY of violation of Section 12 (b) and violation of Section 21 (e) both of RA 1032.

As to the charge for violation of Section 60 (c) of RA 7160, the Committee finds respondent Parayno III NOT GUILTY. Accordingly, respondent Parayno IlI si meted a penalty of six (6) months suspension for violation of Section 21 (b) and another six (6) months suspension for violation of Section 21 (e) of RA 11032, pursuant ot Section 2 Rule 1 of Administrative Order No. 23, Series of 1992,” stated in the SP Resolution which was signed by 13 SP members and Pangasinan Vice Governor Mark Ronald DG. Lambino.

On September 2024, Parayno was put in hot water after a videographer for the Pangasinan Information and Media Relations Office (PIMRO) filed a case against him for allegedly slapping him.

Jairus Bien Fernandez Sibayan alleged that Parayno III slapped him, stole his camera and uttered defamatory statements during the serving of a preventive suspension order against him on 12 August 2024. The PIMRO employee was assigned to document the service of the said order to the mayor.