URDANETA CITY — The mayor of this city is facing criminal and administrative cases filed against him at the Ombudsman by a provincial government worker on Friday. Jairus Bien Fernandez Sibayan, 28, a videographer of the Pangasinan Information and Media Relations Office (Pimro), accused Mayor Julio Parayno III of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, slight physical injuries, robbery with violence and slander, which are criminal offenses. In addition, Parayno was also administratively charged with grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming a public officer, gross immoral conduct and conduct prejudicial to the interests of public services. Parayno could not be immediately reached for comment. In his complaint-affidavit, Sibayan said Parayno allegedly slapped him, hitting the left side of his face, after he held on to his camera as Parayano and four other persons tried to forcibly take it from him. As a result, he suffered multiple soft tissue contusions and internal injury in his left eye. Sibayan also said that he lost his balance and almost fell to the floor. Sibayan was with a Pimro team assigned to document the implementation of a preventive suspension order against Parayno, who is facing an administrative complaint for allegedly violating Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. Parayno was meted a 90-day preventive suspension by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Blue Ribbon Committee, which will hear the complaints against him. The suspension order was served to Parayno at 8:30 a.m. on August 12 in his office at the old Urdaneta City Hall building by Ronn Dale Castillo, executive assistant of Gov. Ramon Guico III, and Verna Nava-Perez, SP secretary. Sibayan said that he started video recording after Parayno allowed him and his teammate, Sydney Soriano, to document the event. He said he stopped video recording after Parayno received the copy of his suspension order and affixed his signature on the document. Parayno then requested to wait for the city's legal officer. Sibayan said while they waited, Parayno was engaged in a conversation with Castillo and Perez. He said that at one point, Parayno allegedly uttered "incriminating and defamatory statements, saying our bosses are smugglers and illegal miners." After saying the defamatory remarks, Sibayan said Parayno realized that he and Soriano were holding cameras. Parayno then allegedly said: "Akin na 'yang camera mo (Give me your camera)," while pointing a finger at Sibayan. Then he added: "Kung di mo ibigay iyan, wawasakin ko iyan (If you don't give it to me, I will destroy the camera)." Out of fear and with instinct kicking in, Sibayan said he resumed video recording thinking that if the camera was destroyed, he would have at least captured something. Seeing this, Parayno stood from his seat and walked toward the back of the Sibayan to try to get the camera. After failing to retrieve the camera, Parayno went back to his seat as four unidentified city hall employees approached Sibayan and tried to grab the camera. Castillo stood up to pacify the employees, who were bent on getting the camera. During the commotion, Parayno got up from his seat again, went behind Sibayan and slapped him. After that, Parayno went back to his seat, and the four employees also stopped from taking possession of the camera. Sibayan said that when they were about to leave Parayno's office, Parayno stopped them, saying they can only leave the mayor's office if they surrender the cameras. As if by cue, one of the city hall employees approached Sibayan, saying, "Ibigay mo na iyan," as he created an impression that he was pulling something from his pocket. Fearing for his life, Sibayan gave up his camera. Soriano's camera was also taken. When the cameras were returned to them after a while, the secure digital cards were already missing.
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