WHEN NEWS broke out on what seemed implied as a suicide by a main character of the flood control saga, many are inclined to believe that the incident would exonerate the “superstars” behind the biggest scandal to have hit the Philippines.
For one, former Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral is no pushover. The 30 years she spent at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is more than enough reason to believe that Cabral has the familiarity with the ins and outs of the agency — including schemes that made quite a number of his former bosses extremely rich.
Her death made headlines, with many speculating foul play involved since Cabral is believed to be keeping critical information on some very powerful people tagged in the anomalous flood control scheme.
BENGUET POLICE REPORT
Cabral, who was one of the most senior career officials ever to serve in the agency — and one of the last central figures investigators were still trying to question, was found lifeless along the Bued River near Kennon Road in Benguet.
Initial reports hinted that she allegedly fell off a ravine along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.
In a report, the Benguet Police Provincial Office said Cabral’s driver sought for assistance around 7 p.m. Thursday, December 18, 2025, after he failed to find her in the area where she asked to be left alone in Barangay Camp 4 around 3 p.m.
“The victim dismissed the driver, who then proceeded to a nearby Milo Gasoline Station. According to the driver’s statement, he returned to the victim at about 5 p.m. but failed to see her and searched the area of the incident,” the police said.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) however finds it rather strange as to why the police were not able to preserve the crime scene.
BUNGLED CRIME SCENE
No less than DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla admitted lapses in the handling of the death of Cabral even as he ordered an autopsy and DNA testing to rule out foul play.
Remulla said the site where Cabral’s body was found should have been treated as a crime scene and that evidence, including her cellphone and other gadgets, should not have been released to the family before complete documentation.
“There were lapses on the part of the investigators,” Remulla told reporters. “Any death of that nature is considered a crime scene. There is a mandatory holding period, and that was not followed.”
Remulla said police are seeking to retrieve Cabral’s cellphone and other electronic devices from her family for forensic analysis. Access to her computers, he added, would require a subpoena from the Office of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan or the National Bureau of Investigation.
RECOVERING EVIDENCE
Philippine National Police acting chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said investigators are working to recover all pieces of evidence, including Cabral’s cellphone, to dispel speculation of a cover-up.
“We don’t like stones left unturned,” Nartatez said. “Through science — an autopsy and DNA — we want finality on what really happened.”
Nartatez said police officers involved would be reminded of proper procedures, including securing vehicles and items found at or near a crime scene.
Any accountability measures, including relief of personnel, would depend on the outcome of the investigation, he added.
Despite concerns that evidence may have been contaminated while in the family’s custody, Nartatez said forensic methods could still yield usable data.
CATALINA CABRAL WHO?
A little known government official that she was, Cabral had been tagged as the supposed brains behind the massive budget insertions in last year’s national budget.
Her familiarity with the “procedures” paved the way for alleged kickbacks and commission fees for the benefit of several lawmakers. Hence, a multibillion-peso kickback scheme that siphoned public infrastructure funds meant to develop the country’s flood mitigation systems.
During her stint as undersecretary for planning, oversaw the programming and allocation of infrastructure funds, including flood control projects. During the previous administration, she worked closely with incumbent Sen. Mark Villar, a former DPWH chief.
“The funding of all projects was cleared through [Undersecretary] Cabral for approval by [Secretary] Villar. From time to time, [Undersecretary] Cabral would ask me to submit [a] detailed list of projects regarding lump-sum fund allocations of DPWH which she sometimes approves herself or forward to Secretary Villar for approval,” resigned DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo said.
When Manuel Bonoan took the helm of the DPWH, she was also made to work closely with the Secretary.
CABRAL KEPT SECRETS
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was formed precisely to look into the flood control scandal, called on law enforcement authorities to secure and preserve all of Cabral’s belongings, gadgets, and computers that could prove to be useful for digital forensics examinations.
The ICI earlier recommended the filing of administrative complaints against the former undersecretary as her name floated around congressional hearings looking into the scheme.
She was also said to have had a list of all of the people involved in the anomalous budgetary insertions on various dubious infrastructure projects, according to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano earlier noted that Cabral visited the Office of the Ombudsman to discuss the potential charges she would be facing more than two weeks before her death.
NO SUICIDE SCENARIO
Only her driver was reported to be with her during the time of Cabral’s death, and he is already in police custody.
“Until after the autopsy and after all the witnesses, everyone is considered a suspect na kasama niya (that she was with) beforehand,” the DILG chief said, citing his agency’s initial probe into the death.
He also dismissed a suicide scenario for Cabral who has fear of heights.
Remulla said Cabral was last seen asking her driver to drop her off along Kennon Road to inspect something, a routine move according to the driver.
She was later found at the bottom of a ravine around 8 p.m. There were no CCTV cameras in the area, which is prone to landslides, he said.
The driver and others who were with Cabral before her death are being treated as persons of interest.