The family of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral has requested that no autopsy be performed after her body was found in a ravine along Kennon Road.
Akbayan Representative Percival “Perci” Cendaña, in a statement, condoled with the family but noted the suspicious timing of her passing. “Being a key figure in the flood control investigations, the sudden death of DPWH Undersecretary Cabral raises serious questions: Who will benefit most from her death? Will the truth die with her? Will she be the ‘fall guy’ in this grand corruption scandal?”
Cabral was part of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) investigation into flood control projects. She later resigned from public service but had been summoned to several Senate hearings regarding DPWH project scandals.
Cendaña called for the continuity of the investigations. “We call for the immediate securing of all her relevant digital records. The government must further guarantee the safety of all witnesses, suspects, and persons of interest. We also urge that any ill-gotten wealth, if proven, be returned to public funds.”
Baguio lawyer Francis Camtugan likewise raised questions regarding the investigation and called for an independent probe. “The Ombudsman should step aside. The case should undergo investigation with law enforcement agencies like the CIDG and NBI,” Camtugan said.
Cabral was found unconscious on the slopes of the Bued River on December 18. She was pronounced dead hours later after failed attempts to revive her.
Police reports reveal that at around 3:00 PM that day, Cabral was traveling toward La Union when she requested her driver, Ricardo Muñoz Hernandez, to stop and leave her at Kennon Road, Maramal, Camp 5. Hernandez told police that Cabral dismissed him, prompting him to wait at a nearby gasoline station.
After two hours, Hernandez returned to the Maramal area to look for the former official. When he found no trace of her, he returned to the Baguio City hotel where Cabral was checked in, assuming she had gone back on her own.
When he still could not locate Cabral, Hernandez returned to the Kennon Road area. After his efforts failed, he sought help from the nearest police substation at View Deck Station 8.
The Philippine National Police has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Police Regional Office (PRO) Cordillera to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. Maria Elena Catajan