Cabral's last hours before fatal fall captured by hotel CCTV footage

CCTV footage from the hotel where former Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral stayed on December 18 showed her last hours before she fell to her death in Tuba, Benguet. 

According to Jun Veneracion’s exclusive report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the footage is now in the hands of investigators after the hotel received a subpoena from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

In one video clip, Cabral can be seen walking towards the driveway of the hotel in the afternoon of December 18. Her SUV, which was driven by her driver, was also seen arriving at the hotel a few minutes later.

Cabral was also seen checking in at the hotel’s front desk in another footage. 

At around 1:10 p.m., the driver accompanied the former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) executive to her suite located on the fourth floor of the hotel.

The CCTV footage also showed the driver entering his hotel room at 1:20 p.m.

But at 2:47 p.m., Cabral was seen knocking on the hotel room of her driver and then briefly entering the room. They eventually exited the room together.

A few minutes later, another video clip showed the two hopped on the SUV before 3 p.m. Authorities believe that they were on their way to Kennon Road at that time. 

The hotel’s footage did not capture the driver’s return at around 5 p.m. and when he went out again at 6 p.m. 

Other footages from the hotel were not shared with GMA Integrated News as these are now part of the PNP and NBI’s investigation.

During the NBI’s earlier inspection of Cabral’s hotel room, authorities found a knife and medicines in her bag. 

“If we’re talking about the knife or the items that were recovered, ‘yung knife for self-protection while the medications, we secured that. We also took tissues so that we can study if these medications were used,” said acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.

(If we’re talking about the knife or the items that were recovered, the knife was for self-protection while the medications, we secured that. We also took tissues so that we can study if these medications were used.)

The PNP said laboratory test results showed that Cabral tested positive for a type of antidepressant. 

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the evidence so far suggests that the possibility of foul play can now be ruled out.

However, Cabral’s mobile phone still needed to undergo digital forensics, with the PNP having applied for a search warrant before the courts to secure the phone. 

“What we have to determine is whether number one: there were threats to her life. Number two: if there were any conversations she had prior to the event. Number three: if there were still transaction spending, and number four: who was she conversing with in the week before the event,” Remulla said.

Cabral’s driver was one of the initial persons investigated in relation to the case, but he was cleared for now.

“In our investigation so far, we see no conclusive links with him and the fall of Usec. Cabral,” Remulla said.

He added that an examination of Cabral’s biometric features showed that the fingerprints recovered from the scene of the incident matched with that of Cabral’s.

Remulla noted that the ravine at Kennon Road where Cabral’s body was found was near an overpriced rock-netting project.

The investigation showed that Cabral would have been caught in the net if she fell there. 

“It is usual in jump cases of suicide attempts or when they jump that they take off their shoes. And it was apparent in that moment, I think her shoes were separate from the body, na tinanggal niya talaga sapatos niya bago siya tumakbo, tumalon. It showed the psychological patterns of a jump suicide,” Remulla said.

(It is usual in jump cases of suicide attempts or when they jump that they take off their shoes. And it was apparent in that moment, I think her shoes were separate from the body, that she removed her shoes before she jumped. It showed the psychological patterns of a jump suicide.) — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News