Refusal of Magpet mayor to reinstate budget officer per CSC order, a political persecution, says VM Pinol

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Political persecution. This was how Vice Mayor Efren Pinol of Magpet, North Cotabato described the acts of Mayor Florenito Gonzaga for refusing to re-instate sacked town Budget Officer Erly Baude despite an order from the Civil Service Commission central office.Baude was the budget officer when Pinol was the town mayor since 2004 until Gonzaga became mayor.Pinol also denied claims by Gonzaga that there was no turn-over of assets and liabilities of the mayor's office when Gonzaga was elected in 2013.He stressed that when left the mayor's office, it has a P13.7 million budget surplus and were turned over to Gonzaga on July 2013.Gonzaga has filed graft and corruption charges against Pinol before the Office of the Ombudsman Mindanao. Also charged were Baude, former general services officer, town accountant and municipal resident auditor.The case is still pending before the Ombudsman.Gonzaga said his decision to file charges were not politically motivated and his refusal to reinstate the department heads, including Baude, despite the CSC order, was loss of trust and confidence.