Ombudsman dismisses Urdaneta mayor, vice mayor, 6 councilors

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service of Urdaneta City Mayor Julio Fernandez Parayno III, Vice Mayor Jimmy Dereje Parayno and six city councilors for defying a presidential suspension order.

The ruling stemmed from consolidated administrative complaints involving the officials' alleged refusal to comply with a 12-month suspension imposed by the Office of the President (OP) for grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority.

On 7 January 2025, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) personnel attempted to serve the suspension order and its notice of implementation.

However, staff members reportedly refused to receive the documents, while the vice mayor's office was found locked and chained. DILG personnel subsequently served the orders by posting copies on the office doors.

Despite the suspension, the mayor and vice mayor continued performing official functions, including issuing memorandums, signing checks and attending public events.

The two officials maintained that the service of the suspension order was defective and violated election-period restrictions.

To fill the temporary vacancies, the DILG issued designation orders to members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. However, the six councilors allegedly evaded service, closed their offices and refused to assume their designated acting positions.

The Ombudsman cited an earlier Regional Trial Court ruling upholding the validity of the substituted service conducted on 7 January 2025.

It found the mayor and vice mayor liable for grave misconduct, ruling that their continued exercise of official functions despite the suspension constituted intentional wrongdoing.

The six councilors, meanwhile, were found liable for gross neglect of duty for deliberately avoiding the designation orders and refusing to assume their responsibilities under the Local Government Code.

Apart from dismissal, the officials face cancellation of civil service eligibility, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, a ban on taking civil service examinations and forfeiture of retirement benefits.

The Ombudsman 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.