Urdaneta now under ‘acting mayor, VM’
PARAYNOS SUSPENDED BY PALACE
URDANETA City Councilor Franco del Prado, who topped the election for councilors in 2022, will serve as acting mayor, while second ranking councilor Warren Andrada will serve as acting vice mayor following the suspension of Mayor Julio ‘Rammy’ Parayno III, and his cousin, Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno by Malacañang on January 3, 2025 for grave misconduct and abuse of authority.
A letter of signed by Department of the Interior and Local Government Regional Director Jonathan Leusen Jr. dated January 7. 2025 relayed to the two Paraynos their respective suspensions of six months each, or one year each, after they were found administratively liable for grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority.
Their suspension was ordered based on a memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and a separate memorandum issued by Atty. Romeo P. Benetiz, undersecretary for external legal and legislative affairs of the Office of the President, in relation to the case docketed as OP-DC CASE No. 22-K-090.
The case was filed by Michael Brian Perez, former barangay captain of San Vicente, who was former president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, and also ex-officio councilor, who the two officials reportedly illegally ousted from office.
At the time the suspension order was served and became known, Mayor Parayno III was on leave. He, however, attended the inauguration of a new museum at the city hall in the morning of January 8 as a plain citizen.
The two councilors currently holding the top two seats of the city are both political allies of the Paraynos.
Del Prado is running for congressman of the 5th district of Pangasinan under the Abante Pangasinan Ilokano (API) party of former Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino III. He is challenging Rep. Ramon Guico Jr., father of incumbent Gov. Ramon Guico III, who is running for a second term of office.
Suspended Mayor Parayno and his cousin Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno, who are both running for reelection, are up against Maan Tuazon-Guico, wife of Gov. Guico, and incumbent provincial board member Chinky Perez-Tababa, respectively.
Acting Vice Mayor Andrada is running for reelection as city councilor. (Leonardo Micua)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments