Cause of Army general’s death still being verified

Brigadier General Daniel Lucero receives his flag from Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes, commanding general of the Philippine Army, as he assumed the position of the new commanding general of 1st Infantry Tabak Division based in Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur on April 24. Looking on is Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainer Cruz III. Richel V. Umel/Inquirer Mindanao/FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The cause of death of Army’s First Infantry Division Commander Brigadier General Daniel Lucero after diving in Zamboanga del Sur Sunday is still being verified.

“They are still verifying this. So far, there is no concrete basis for this speculation,” Captain Jefferson Somera, spokesman of 1st ID, told INQUIRER.net on Monday when asked to confirm circulating reports that the diving gear of Lucero malfunctioned which led to his death.

A military source, meanwhile, said Lucero had been suffering from a heart ailment and even visited the doctor for a check-up last week.

The source said Lucero could have suffered a decompression illness or a cardiac arrest.

“Bumubula daw ang bibig nya nung inahon,” the source told INQUIRER.net

The possibility that his bouyancy control device malfunctioned during the dive was also something that needs to be looked into, the source said.

Lucero went diving in Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur as part of the reception of newly assigned Second Lieutenants of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 2013 in the 1st ID.

He was given first aid by the scuba divers who were with him and was rushed to Mendero Hospital but was declared dead past 3p.m., the 1st ID said.

After the dive, Lucero removed his scuba mask and then he started vomiting. He kept on vomiting during the boat ride, another source said.

Travel to shore took 45 minutes, while the trip to hospital took 30 minutes, the source said.

“BGen Lucero is a great loss in the Philippine Army and in the AFP in general… He has extensive experience in the Army’s Civil Military Operations, shown his great interest in giving primacy to the welfare of the people by advocating the Internal Peace Security Plan (IPSP) “Bayanihan” to win peace especially in this part of Mindanao,” the 1st ID said.

The remains of  Lucero will lie in state from Monday  until Tuesday morning at the Tabak chapel, and will be transferred to Army Headquarters at Fort Bonifacio.

Flags at Army camps and the General Headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo were flown at half-staff as a sign of mourning.