NBI searches Cabral's Baguio hotel room

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed Saturday that its operatives in the Cordillera Administrative Region carried out a search at the hotel in Baguio City where former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral stayed before her mysterious death.

In a Facebook post, the NBI said its agents searched Cabral's hotel room by virtue of a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court–Baguio City Branch 6 Judge Michael Francisco, authorizing agents to obtain evidence that may shed light on the circumstances surrounding Cabral’s death.

The NBI said the operation is focused on securing records and other materials relevant to the investigation.

Cabral, a seasoned civil engineer and former DPWH undersecretary for planning and public?private partnerships, was found dead early on Dec. 19 after being reported missing along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.

Police said her body was discovered beside the Bued River, about 20 to 30 meters below the highway, hours after she instructed her driver to leave her at a roadside location.

An autopsy later determined that she died from blunt force trauma consistent with a fall, although investigators said they are still examining all angles, including possible suicide or other factors.

Cabral’s death has drawn intense public attention, given her role in ongoing inquiries into alleged anomalies in flood control infrastructure projects.

Authorities have appealed to motorists who passed through Kennon Road on Dec. 18 to submit dashcam footage that might assist the investigation, amid numerous speculation.—MCG, GMA Integrated News