KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 24 May) – After four years of legal battle, the former budget officer of the municipality of Magpet was finally reinstated by the mayor following an order from the Civil Service Commisson (CSC).
Magpet Mayor Florenito Gonzaga, through Memorandum Order Number 57, directed Erly Roque Baude to report for work as the town’s municipal budget officer starting Tuesday.
The latter was sacked by Gonzaga a few months after he assumed the mayoral post.
Baude had been holding the post for more than a decade until Gonzaga terminated her employment in 2013 allegedly for poor performance and loss of trust and confidence.
For Baude, however, it was more of a “political vendetta” as she had been serving as budget officer for nine years under former Mayor Efren Piñol, considered as Gonzaga’s political rival.
Before Baude was terminated in 2013, Gonzaga had filed graft and corruption charges against Piñol before the Office of the Ombudsman Mindanao.
Aside from Baude, the former general services officer, municipal accountant, and municipal resident auditor were included in the charge sheet.
The case is still pending before the Ombudsman.
Right after Baude received her termination papers, she filed charges against Gonzaga at the CSC.
In October 2015, the CSC in Region 12 ordered Gonzaga to reinstate Baude. The mayor refused to heed to the order and filed a motion for reconsideration.
On December 21, 2016, the CSC national office, through Director IV Dolores Bonifacio of the Commission Secretariat and Liaison Office, issued a notice of decision and ordered Gonzaga to reinstate Baude.
Only then did Gonzaga issue a memorandum order reinstating Baude to her original post at the municipal hall.
Baude said it felt like a “long and winding road” has finally ended. “Patience is a virtue. To God be the glory,” she stressed. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)
