Following Ex-DPWH Usec. Cabral’s Death, Ombudsman Wants Her Gadgets Preserved
Ombudsman ordered the local authorities in Benguet to secure the mobile phone and other gadgets of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.
Former DPWH Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral was found dead due to an alleged fall from a cliff in Benguet. Prior to her death, she became a controversial persona after her name was dragged into the supposed multi-billion flood control corruption and budget insertion issue in the country.
Amid the flood control mess, Cabral resigned from her position after serving at the department for more than 40 years. DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon accepted her resignation two (2) days after she submitted the letter. However, amid the ongoing flood control investigation, her body was reportedly found lifeless beside the river down the cliff at the Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.
Cardo Hernandez, the driver of former DPWH Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral, claimed that she allegedly asked him that they will go to Baguio from Manila as she wants to be relieved from stress. The driver also claimed that Cabral was supposedly mostly silent during their trip but her aura was allegedly fine.
According to Hernandez, they were already at the Kennon Road in the morning of Thursday but they left the area after some time as the police authorities asked them to leave for it is an accident-prone area. The driver claimed that they allegedly drove straight to Baguio, ate, and checked in to a hotel.
At 2:30 p.m., Cabral supposedly asked Hernandez that they will return to the Kennon Road. According to the driver, his boss allegedly asked him to leave her there for a while but he could no longer find her when he returned. On the eve of Thursday, the body of the former DPWH Undersecretary was found lifeless near the river.
Former DPWH Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral’s death earned different reactions and sparked several speculations. Amid the investigation, the initial reports of the police stated that she died due to an alleged fall. The Ombudsman recently spoke on the former DPWH official’s death amid the flood control controversy.
Based on a post of News5 on social media, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the office ordered the local authorities in Benguet to preserve the custody of the mobile phone and other gadgets of former DPWH Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral.
“We need her phone at all cost!” the Assistant Ombudsman said.
Based on the post, the Assistant Ombudsman further said that the mobile phone and other gadgets of former DPWH Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral will be turned over to the investigator in due time.
“The same is to be turned over to the investigators at the proper time,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said.
Recently, the DPWH also issued a statement on the death of former Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral who has served the department for more than four (4) decades.