Army’s 1st Infantry Division chief dies while on diving trip
m.
Ardo said Lucero was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Mendero Hospital in Pagadian City where his fellow officers rushed him.
Lucero went scuba diving, a favorite pastime among the officers of the Army 1st “Tabak” Division based in Pulacan, Zamboanga del Sur, on Sunday.
Brig. Gen. Daniel Lucero. MindaNews file photo by Froilan Gallardo
In April, he assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division, replacing Maj. Gen. Rainier Cruz who took over the post of chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) in Davao City.
Speculations are rife as to the cause of death of Lucero who is among the well-admired officers of the AFP.
Interaksyon.com reported that Lucero’s wife, Connie, asked for an autopsy to determine the cause of death following reports that the flotation gear of the diving suit worn by Lucero malfunctioned during the dive.
Lucero’s remains were brought to the Fatima Funeral Homes in Pagadian City.
His death is mourned by other sectors in Mindanao especially those who are working for peace.
“Lucero was an AIM (Asian Institute of Management) fellow, cohort2 of the Mindanao Bridging Leadership Program, very passionate with his work on peace promotion, worked very hard to ensure a clean, orderly, peaceful and honest election in Marawi-Lanao Sur, a very good man and respectable military officer,” said Trel Borja, a teacher of Development Communications in Xavier University.
“What a loss! May he also benefit from his peace efforts by finding his own peaceful rest in the arms of our Maker,” said Borja. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)
