Combat Divers from the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) of the Philippine Fleet and a team of military doctors from the Cavite Naval Hospital (CNH), Sangley Point, Cavite City are exerting all efforts to save a 17-year old Muro-Ami recruit who became paralyzed from his chest-down to his lower extremities after diving more than 90 feet deep off the western coast of Palawan.
Ronie Devio, a resident of Calatagan, Batangas, is now undergoing Recompression Treatment Procedures administered by Navy divers since February 24, 2011 inside the NAVSOG Recompression Chamber facility in Sangley Point in an attempt to revive him from paralysis three months after the incident that happened last November 13, 2010. Ronie is the second to the youngest in a brood of seven and fends for his family’s daily needs by engaging in menial jobs until he was recruited as a Muro-Ami diver.
Colonel Juanito Allas Jr., the Commander of CNH who conducted the medical examination, explained that Ronie is suffering from ‘Decompression Sickness’ caused by high nitrogen concentration that paralyzed his nervous system. This condition happens when divers ascend rapidly to the surface, especially after being exposed to high pressure depths for long periods of time.
Colonel Allas further explained that when the human body is exposed to extreme pressures, it takes almost 30 minutes for the body to adapt to the new environment by releasing inert nitrogen through the lungs. This necessitates that divers have to ascend gradually to allow the human body to regulate nitrogen level in its system and prevent blood embolism.
Retired Major Arnel Ferriols, a military doctor who specialized in Underwater Medicine and who volunteered to handle Ronie’s case, said that a patient could be totally paralyzed if not treated within 48 hours. For Ronie’s case however, it took more than three months to seek proper medical help due to his family’s financial incapacity and ignorance.
Major Ferriols added that for the patient to recover from paralysis, he has to endure at least six to ten hours of treatment inside the Recompression Chamber with pressures of up to 27psi or almost twice the normal atmospheric pressure. The duration of the treatment may be extended depending on the patient’s response. After two days of treatment, Ronie has manifested encouraging signs that the medical procedure is working. His next treatment is scheduled on February 28, 2011.
Asked about what happened on that fateful day of the accident, Ronie narrated that he was setting a net trap while they were knocking-off the coral bed to drive out fishes inside their sanctuaries, when suddenly, the line that was supplying them with compressed air failed.
Running out of oxygen, he and the other divers panicked and ascended too fast toward the surface. Ronie made it to the surface, but his two companions lost consciousness midway, prompting him to dive back and save them.
Ronie was retrieved by his fellow divers onboard their fishing boat marked with the number 88 painted on her bow. He narrated that he began to feel numbness creeping all over his body until he became totally paralyzed within an hour after the dive.
In an effort to alleviate his worsening condition, the fishing boat crew placed him inside a tank of crushed ice where approximately 100 tons of their fish catch were preserved. However, according to Colonel Allas, such action by the crew may have even aggravated Ronie’s condition and unnecessarily exposed him to risks of hypothermia.
On their arrival at the fish port in Malabon, the crew sent Ronie back to his family in Batangas and paid him a total amount of P5,000 or twice his monthly wages.
Ronie said that the fishing boat was operated by Germel Fishing Company in Malabon City and is owned by a certain Rogelio Delos Santos.
Ms. Menchie Silverstre, who heads ABS-CBN’s Public Service News learned of Ronie’s plight earlier in February and requested help from the Philippine Fleet, a major Command of the Philippine Navy based in Sangley Point, Cavite City. Thereafter, NAVSOG was tasked to render assistance and make available its Recompression Chamber facility as well as the medical team from CNH.
“Muro-Ami”, which means “Reef Hunters”, is one of the cruelest and most devastating forms of illegal fishing that destroys the coral reefs, one which usually involves the exploitation of minors. Wikipedia defines Muro-Ami as an illegal fishing method that is done by pounding and crushing corals underwater to scare the fishes and drive them towards the nets. This practice consequently destroys corals which takes a lifetime to form and causes the deaths of some of these unfortunate children.
Commander of the Philippine Fleet, Rear Admiral Jose Luis Alano, condemned fishing agencies who exploit minors and expose them to deep sea hazards, luring them to engage in destructive and illegal fishing methods which damages the marine environment and adversely affects biodiversity and the sustainability of marine resources.
He also said that beyond its main mandate to protect the country’s territorial waters, the Philippine Navy is committed to help needy individuals and victims of exploitation. He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to lend its support to ABS-CBN and other non-government agencies and organizations engaged in socio-economic and development partnership with the government.
Admiral Alano warned maritime law offenders and those who engage in illegal and destructive fishing activities, that the Navy will undertake drastic measures against them.
Two Navy seal platoons from the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) were deployed to Mindanao on March 11, 2011 during a Send off Ceremony led by Philippine Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Jose Luis Alano in Villamore Airbase, Pasay City.
