BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Police are now thoroughly investigating the fall into a ravine of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, after she was found dead at around 8:00 p.m. on the edge of the Bued River, about 30 meters deep in the ravine, near Camp 4, Kennon Road, Tuba, Benguet, on December 18.
The victim’s remains were recovered at around 12:00 midnight by search operations conducted by personnel of the Tuba Municipal Police Station, Baguio City Police Office, with the assistance of the Tuba Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Bureau of Fire Protection and were immediately rushed to the hospital.
Cabral was declared dead at around 12:03 pm on December 19 by Dr. Gian Frances Salinas.
The incident took place near the rock nettings inspected by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., on August 24, 2025.
The Benguet Provincial Forensic Unit is currently conducting scene-of-the-crime processing and the police are also conducting a thorough investigation to determine if the victim actually committed suicide.
According to Cardo Hernandez, Cabral’s driver, they were heading to Baguio City around noon and were instructed to stop at the side of Kennod Road. Cabral sat down on a concrete barrier on the side of the road and was told, “Ma’am, don’t get too close or you’ll lose your balance and fall.”
He said she returned to the vehicle and was told by the police not to linger in the area, so they traveled to Baguio City and had lunch at a restaurant and checked into a hotel on Legarda Road.
According to Hernandez, at around 2:30 p.m., Cabral drove back to Kennon Road, where they first met. The victim sat down on the concrete barrier again and was ordered to leave him for a moment, so he left him and went to a gas station.
About an hour later, he returned to the area, but she was no longer in his seat, so he got out of the car and searched and looked around the ravine, but he didn’t see anyone.
He left and not far away, he saw a man hanging around and asked if he had seen a woman, but he didn’t, so he turned the car around again and returned to the area.
He looked around the ravine again, but he didn’t see anyone, so he decided to return to the hotel at around 5:00 p.m. to ask if his boss was there, but he still wasn’t there.
He allegedly returned again to Kennon Road to look for her and wondered if she was just walking or hanging around, but he couldn’t find her, so he just reported to the police for help, because it was dark in the area.
Hernandez burst into tears as he saw the victim’s body bag being lifted, because he didn’t think Cabral would do it.
In connection with this, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) issued a statement regarding Cabral’s death.
“ We extend our deepest condolences to the family of former Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral during this very difficult time.
Undersecretary Cabral served the Department for more than 40 years, and her loss will be mourned throughout the organization. We recognize the profound loss the family is facing and offer our sincerest prayers.
The Department urges everyone to respect the family’s need for privacy as they mourn and come to terms with the sudden loss. We thank you for your compassion and understanding.”
It can be recalled that Cabral resigned from the DPWH last September after she was implicated in alleged anomalous budget insertions that led to anomalous flood control contracts.
