PNP probe into Cabral's death now focuses on securing evidence

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said it is focusing on checking and securing evidence related to the death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, after her body was found in Benguet.

In a statement, PNP Acting Chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Nartatez Jr. said Cabral’s driver is being interrogated after he left the former DPWH official on Thursday along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet upon her request.

“With the confirmation of her death, we were able to clear things up on the speculations of the identity of the remains. The next step is to establish what really happened, and this is now the focus of all our efforts in relation to this case,” Nartetz said.

Cabral, who was a former DPWH undersecretary for planning and public-private partnerships, was pronounced dead on early December 19 after she was found “unconscious and unresponsive” beside the Bued River, about 20 to 30 meters below Kennon Road, the day before.

The Office of the Ombudsman has directed the authorities in Benguet to secure Cabral’s cellphone and other gadgets.

Meanwhile, National Bureau of Investigation operatives in the Cordillera Administrative Region carried out a search at the hotel room in Baguio City where the former DPWH undersecretary stayed to obtain evidence on the circumstances of her death.

Nartatez said PNP is also coordinating with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and other concerned agencies to identify pieces of evidence that need to be secured in relation to the flood control probe.

The Department of Justice was supposed to refer a plunder case involving Cabral to the Ombudsman, which is related to the alleged anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan, before her death.

To prevent lapses, Nartatez has also ordered stricter supervision of local police units handling the Cabral case, following the relief from post of the chief of Tuba, Benguet Police.

"This is not only to clarify the circumstances of her death but also to support our ongoing probe into the alleged flood control anomalies in the DPWH so that no evidence is left unchecked," said Nartatez. —KG, GMA Integrated News