Former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was found dead after an alleged fall from Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet. As the DPWH mourns her loss, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure has called for an urgent investigation to rule out foul play. The incident occurs amid a corruption scandal involving flood control projects.
On Thursday night, December 18, 2025, the body of Maria Catalina Cabral was found unconscious near the Bued River, about 20 to 30 meters below Kennon Road in Barangay Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet. According to the Benguet Police Provincial Office, she was traveling to La Union with her driver, Ricardo Munos Hernandez, around 3 p.m. when she asked him to stop in the Maramal area and proceeded alone. The driver returned at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. but could not find her, prompting him to report to police.
Her body was retrieved with assistance from the Tuba Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Bureau of Fire Protection before midnight. She was declared dead at 12:03 a.m. on Friday, December 19, by Dr. Gian Francis Salinas. The Office of the Ombudsman directed Benguet authorities to secure and preserve her cellphone and other gadgets for investigation.
Cabral, who served 40 years at the DPWH and was the first female undersecretary, resigned in September 2025 amid probes into alleged anomalous flood control projects worth billions of pesos. Former undersecretary Roberto Bernardo accused her of involvement in a kickback scheme benefiting officials. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure issued a subpoena for her last week, but she did not attend.
"We recognize the profound loss the family is facing and offer our sincerest prayers," the DPWH statement read. "Who will benefit most from her death? Will the truth die with her?" asked Rep. Perci Cendaña. The ICI urged a probe to rule out foul play, noting she held key information on the projects. Police and forensic investigations continue.
