The Philippine Online Chronicles

Bonifacio, the Philippine Coast Guard diver who perished during the retrieval operations inside the sunken MV Catalyn B last Friday will be given the posthumous Distinguished Coast Guard Cross Medal – the highest PCG honor – for risking his life in the line of duty.

PCG Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo will personally hand the award to Bonifacio's widow Marabel on his interment.

A hero's burial will also be accorded the fallen diver at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Saturday.

The PCG also promised scholarship grants to Bonifacio's only son, 11-year-old Alvin Bernie.

Coast Guard spokesman Lt.Cdr. Armand Balilo said that the Bonifacio's group dived around 221 feet below sea level to locate and retrieve the remains of the passengers who may have been trapped inside the ill-fated vessel.

According to Bonifacio's wife, the diver was not feeling well and was supposed to be on leave that fateful Friday. Upon learning that the team lacked volunteers, Bonifacio decided to join the retrieval mission.

The PCG, however, said that they remain “clueless” over the cause of Bonifacio's death since an investigation showed that there was nothing wrong with his diving equipment.

Tamayo said that Bonifacio showed signs of “decompression sickness” upon surfacing from his dive. He was brought inside a decompression chamber aboard the search-and-rescue ship BRP Pampanga.

He died Friday afternoon at the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital after his condition had worsened.

Decompression sickness is a condition “experienced by divers who surface rapidly from a deep dive. It is caused by the release of inert gases (usually hydrogen or helium) which forms bubbles in tissues as the pressure around the body falls suddenly,” explained Dr. Jose Florencio Lapeña Jr. of the Philippine General Hospital to GMANews.tv.

42-year-old Bonifacio served in the PCG for 20 years and was involved in nearly all rescue operations at sea, including the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy in 2008. He was also the team leader for the rescue and relief efforts during the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng in 2009.

“No more casualties - palace”

The Palace expressed its grief over Bonifacio's death, adding that it hoped the Coast Guard would conclude its operations without any more casualties.

“We are saddened that one of the divers helping out ended up being one of the victims. We share the grief of the family and admire the heroism of the diver, said Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar.

While the PCG said it will continue the seach for missing MV Catalyn passengers, Tamayo said it will request the ship owner San Nicolas Shipping Lines to bring in technical divers to help.

Motor banca MV Catalyn B sank on December 24, 2009 after it collided with a much bigger vessel, FV Anatalia off the coast of Limbones Island in Cavite. The Coast Guard reported five casualties, 46 survivors and 22 missing passengers.