Autopsy results have ruled out foul play in the December 18 death of former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Maria Catalina "Cathy" Cabral, who fell along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet. The confirmation comes as investigations continue into her alleged role in a flood control scandal.
Cabral was traveling with driver Ricardo Hernandez on December 18 when she asked him to stop near Camp 4 along Kennon Road around 3 p.m. to get fresh air. He returned at 5 p.m. but could not find her; her body was discovered around 8 p.m. near the Bued River.
On December 20, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced autopsy findings of blunt traumatic injuries from a fall, including fractures to the face, head, ribs, and legs, with no evidence of struggle, violence, gunshots, or stab wounds. Her family initially opposed the autopsy but later consented. Husband Cesar Cabral stated she had gone to Baguio to relieve stress from Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) hearings, which she attended starting September 24 but skipped on December 15.
Hernandez is a person of interest under interrogation; Remulla noted a selfie they took, as he was pleased by her promise to help build his house. The National Bureau of Investigation searched the Ion Hotel in Tuba where they stayed, prompting the resignation of the hotel's legal counsel, Perlita Chan-Rondez.
Cabral faced accusations from former undersecretary Roberto Bernardo of manipulating budgets for flood control projects from 2023 to 2025. She had appeared at the Ombudsman two weeks before her death. Rep. Leandro Leviste revealed a list of budget insertions linked to her, shared with the ICI and Ombudsman, potentially evidencing plunder and graft.
The Philippine National Police, under Acting Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., is securing evidence in coordination with the ICI. The Department of Justice referred plunder cases to the Ombudsman on December 19; Cabral's criminal liability ends with her death, but civil asset forfeiture may proceed.
