DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla answers questions from the media during a Palace press briefing in Manila City in this file photo on January 13, 2025. şÚÁĎÉç file photo / RYAN LEAGOGO
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla ordered the department’s Ilocos Region office to “prevent” the mayor and vice mayor of Urdaneta City from “unlawfully exercising their powers.”
Urdaneta City Mayor Julio Parayno III and his nephew, Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno, were suspended for 12 months in a Jan. 3 order by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
“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 said in a memorandum to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (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,” Remulla added.
READ: DILG chief gives top Urdaneta execs 10 days to step down
According to the Jan. 3 order, the Urdaneta City mayor and vice mayor were administratively liable for grave misconduct and abuse of authority.
This stemmed from the removal of the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay from the city council in 2022.
Last February, Remulla gave the two officials a 10-day ultimatum to comply with their suspension.