Usec Cabral resigns from DPWH; Blue Ribbon panel to issue subpoena

Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Thursday said that he accepted the courtesy resignation of Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral—one of those implicated in the anomalous flood control projects—from the DPWH. 

Dizon made the confirmation during the continuing hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, noting that Cabral submitted her resignation two nights ago. 

“I think she wrote a letter, she informed me by a message late last night that she had written the committee to inform the committee of the acceptance of her courtesy resignation and thus requested not to attend [the hearing],” the DPWH chief said. 

“But of course even if she’s now just a private citizen and no longer part of the DPWH, I‘m sure if the committee will require her to attend, she still must attend but now no longer as an official of DPWH but as a private citizen,” he added. 

Senator Rodante Marcoleta, former chairman of the committee, however, said that Cabral’s resignation is not an excuse for her not to be held accountable and attend the Senate hearing. 

“Kahit na mag-resign po siya (even if she resigned), it will not matter to us. There are personal questions that we need to ask,” Marcoleta said, which was agreed to by new panel chairman, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. 

Marcoleta then moved to issue a subpoena against Cabral, which was seconded by Senator Erwin Tulfo. 

Lacson approved the motion after no senator objected. 

Regardless of Cabral's resignation, Dizon committed that the DPWH will still continue its internal investigation into the questionable flood control projects. 

At a hearing of the House committee on public works and highways last week, Cabral confirmed the P51 billion infrastructure projects for the 1st district of Davao City during the last three years of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term.

Lacson had also said that a staff of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III allegedly received a call from Cabral, asking to make an insertion in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Sotto confirmed Lacson’s remarks, saying that someone relayed Cabral’s offer to him. —AOL, GMA Integrated News