ILOILO CITY?Iloilo City Prosecutor Efrain Baldago, who was earlier dismissed by Malacañang for graft, has filed graft charges against his boss, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr.

In a three-page complaint filed at the Ombudsman-Visayas on Wednesday, Baldago accused Gonzalez of violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Also named respondent was Assistant City Prosecutor Peter Baliao.

In his complaint, Baldago alleged that Gonzalez ?forced? him to file a travel leave on Jan. 10 this year.

?Starting the month of December 2006, I was subjected to intense pressure from then Acting Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzalez Sr. for me to take an indefinite leave of absence without citing any legal ground,? said Baldago in his complaint.

He said he filed a request to travel ?in compliance? with a verbal directive of Gonzalez, which he reiterated several times through his executive assistant lawyer Eldrid Antiquera.

Baldago claimed that Gonzalez wanted him out of the office so he could not act as vice chair of the Iloilo City Board of Canvassers during the national and local elections last May because his son and namesake Iloilo Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. was running for reelection.

Baldago is identified with former Senate President Franklin Drilon who broke off from the administration and called for the resignation of President Macapagal-Arroyo on July 2005.

Baldago said he decided to file for a sick leave after his travel leave was approved on April 24, 2007. But before he could do so, Gonzalez had appointed Assistant Prosecutor Fiscal Peter Baliao as acting city prosecutor. This allegedly violated the Revised Administration Code of 1987, which prohibits the reassignment of public officials within three months before any elections.

However, Gonzalez denied that he violated any laws or regulations.

?Anybody can dig his own grave,? Gonzalez told the Inquirer in a telephone interview.

He said that it is within his authority to reassign prosecutors and it was Baldago who had filed a travel leave to go to the United States with his family.

?He is a just a mere fiscal and he cannot dictate to the justice secretary,? said Gonzalez.

He said he would also enforce his Dec. 7 memorandum reassigning Baldago to either the Office of the Regional State Prosecutor or the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor, pending the finality of a decision of the Office of the President dismissing Baldago for graft.

?If he wants, he can stay there and starve to death in his office,? said Gonzalez.