BFAR director relieved over grave misconduct

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. installed Isidro Velayo Jr., as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), following the dismissal of BFAR director, Atty. Demosthenes Escoto, as ordered by the Ombudsman on Wednesday.

“The Ombudsman’s order, forwarded to the office of the DA chief for implementation, found Escoto guilty of grave misconduct in a graft case arising from BFAR procurement of communications equipment in 2018,” said the DA in a statement.

“Escoto could still seek reconsideration of the Ombudsman’s decision or directly appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals,” it added.

The agriculture chief described Velayo as "a career professional and respected official of BFAR."

“My marching order to him is to ensure that the operations of the agency will not be affected by this legal development,” Laurel said.

Former BFAR director Escoto was appointed as the OIC of the BFAR’s legal division in 2015 and served as the assistant director for its administrative services in 2017.

In 2022, he became the Bureau’s OIC, until he was appointed as its national director in 2023.