Benguet police director Suerte takes medical leave amid Cabral death probe

The Benguet Provincial Police Office (PPO) on Tuesday confirmed that its director, Police Colonel Lambert Suerte, is now on medical leave.

“I will be temporarily leaving my post as your [provincial director] for medical leave effective today December 22, 2025. I will be back as soon as I fully recover,” said Suerte in a statement as confirmed by the Benguet police.

“Please continue what we have started and extend your unconditional support to your incoming officer-in-charge,” he added.

Police Colonel Ledon Monte takes over the Benguet police as officer-in-charge.

Earlier, Tuba municipal police chief Police Major Peter Camsol was relieved from his post due to alleged lapses in the investigation into the death of former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said there were lapses when the police turned over the belongings, including the cellphone, of Cabral to her family after she was found dead.

Suerte retained his post after he was able to negotiate with the Cabral family to allow autopsy examination on the former DPWH official's remains, according to the Philippine National Police.

On December 18, Cabral was found “unconscious and unresponsive” about 20 to 30 meters below a highway, several hours after she asked her driver to drop her off at a section of Kennon Road.

The Tuba Municipal Station said a municipal doctor pronounced Cabral dead at the scene beside the Bued River on December 19.

Cabral resigned in September 2025 amid the congressional investigations into anomalous flood control projects and alleged kickbacks by lawmakers and government officials.

Independent Commission for Infrastructure spokesperson Brian Hosaka said on December 11 that the ICI would invite Cabral as a resource person in its investigation into ghost and substandard flood control projects.

Ex-DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, in an affidavit he read before the Senate blue ribbon committee, implicated several lawmakers and former DPWH officials, including Cabral, in the collection of kickbacks from the anomalous projects.—AOL, GMA Integrated News