Baguio: The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now gathering evidence to determine the circumstances behind the death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.
According to Philippines News Agency, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez confirmed the identification of Cabral's remains, which dispelled earlier speculations. "With the confirmation of her death, we were able to clear things up on the speculations of the identity of the remains. The next step is to establish what really happened and this is now the focus of all our efforts in relation to this case," Nartatez stated.
Nartatez emphasized the national interest in the investigation due to Cabral's potential knowledge of irregularities in flood control projects currently under government scrutiny. He assured that the PNP is collaborating with other agencies to secure all relevant evidence related to this ongoing investigation.
Cabral was discovered dead on Friday after falling into Bued River in Tuba, Benguet, not far from the highway. Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla, in a Saturday statement, shared autopsy results indicating that Cabral succumbed to "blunt traumatic injury consistent with a fall," with no signs of foul play.
Acknowledging the incident's sensitivity, especially for Cabral's family, Nartatez stressed the importance of securing any potential evidence that Cabral may have had. He also called for enhanced oversight of local police units involved in the investigation to avoid lapses, as evidenced by the recent relief of a police official in Tuba.
"This is not only to clarify the circumstances of her death but also to support our ongoing probe into the alleged flood control anomalies in the DPWH, so that no evidence is left unchecked," Nartatez added, urging the public to avoid speculation and await the investigation's official results.
The PNP's investigation is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure all law enforcement operations, including the probe into Cabral's death and the DPWH flood control anomalies, are conducted with thoroughness, integrity, and transparency.
