Urdaneta mayor suspended, slaps cameraman as order is served
URDANETA City Mayor Julio “Rammy” Parayno III was served a 90-day preventive suspension order at his office on August 12 over a red tape complaint, during which he slapped a cameraman employed by the provincial government who was documenting the proceeding.
The suspension order, signed by Governor Ramon Guico Jr., is contained in a resolution approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) as endorsed by the Blue Ribbon Committee, which is hearing administrative complaints against Parayno for alleged violations of Republic Act (RA) 11032, the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
The case stems from a complaint filed before the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) by Bryan Gomez and Rowel Gonzales against Parayno and Ronald San Juan, head of the Business Processing and Licensing Office of Urdaneta City, citing violations of Section 21 (b) and (e) of RA 11032 and Section 60 (c) of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code.
The SP received a formal endorsement from ARTA for further investigation and filing of appropriate charges.
The case was docketed as SP Administrative Case No. 02-2024.
On the slapping incident, initial police investigation showed that Jairus Bien Sibayan, the cameraman from the Provincial Information and Media Relations Office, was filming as a team from the provincial government, led by lawyer Ronn Dale Castillo, was executing the suspension order.
During the proceedings, “…the City Mayor got irked and then slapped Jairus Bien Sibayan on his right face, captured the camera and removed the SD card,” the police report stated.
Sibayan was brought to the Urdaneta District Hospital for a medical examination, then to the Urdaneta City Police Station for proper disposition.
The PUNCH did not receive a statement requested from Parayno and the interview the following day was canceled. The mayor’s office said Parayno will address the media after filing his appeal against the suspension order. (Eva Visperas)
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