Cheyenne Suarez

Lawmakers seek probe into Cabral's death, protection of flood control evidence

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176612887911520251219-dpwh-usec-catalina-cabral-HoR.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral attends a probe into flood control programs nationwide, called by the House of Representatives Infrastructure Committee (InfraComm) in Quezon City on September 9, 2025. The InfraComm is a joint body comprising the Committees on Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways, and Good Government and Public Accountability, chaired by Representatives Terry Ridon, Romeo S. Momo Sr., and Joel Chua. </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Several lawmakers on Friday extended condolences to the bereaved relatives of former Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral and also called for an investigation into whether her death is connected to the flood control corruption issue.</p><p>Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña said Cabral&#x27;s death raises serious questions: “Who will benefit most from her death? Will the truth die with her? Will she be the ‘fall guy’ in this grand corruption scandal?”</p><p>He called on authorities to immediately secure Cabral&#x27;s digital records and to retrieve any proven ill-gotten wealth.</p><p>Cendaña urged the government to guarantee the safety of witnesses, suspects, and persons of interest in the flood control issue.</p><p>The former undersecretary<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/19/marcos-jr-oks-p5-000-productivity-incentive-for-gov-t-workers-1245"> passed away </a>Thursday night after an alleged fall from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.</p><p>She was allegedly involved in giving lawmakers &quot;allocables&quot; or projects inserted in the National Expenditure Program, a scheme revealed used to corrupt billions of pesos from the national budgets in the previous years. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/19/who-was-catalina-cabral-and-how-could-her-death-affect-flood-control-probe-1455">Who was ex-DPWH exec Catalina Cabral, and how could her death affect flood control probe?</a></div><p>Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima said Cabral’s death invites “great suspicion,&quot; as it can “ benefit a lot of people” and adversely impact the ongoing flood control investigation, &quot;because now, everything might be pinned on Cabral as the mastermind.”</p><p>De Lima called for a thorough investigation, especially by the National Bureau of Investigation, and for a seizure warrant for Cabral’s residence and documents.</p><p>“Hindi ito dapat maging dead end ng mga imbestigasyon (This should not be a dead end of the investigation),” she said.</p><p>Makabayan lawmakers also called for an investigation into Cabral’s death, saying it “cannot be separated from the ongoing flood control probe.”</p><p>ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women&#x27;s Party Rep. Sarah Elago and Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Co pointed out in a joint statement that Cabral was &quot;a key figure&quot; in DPWH operations and her documents need to be preserved.</p><p>Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste said the flood control probe may be concluded by the list of all the proponents of DPWH insertions in Cabral’s computer, which others may have a copy of.</p><p>“Protect the witnesses of DPWH and preserve their files,” Leviste said. </p><p>Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson meanwhile called Cabral’s death “unfortunate and tragic.”</p><p>He said he hopes Cabral left notes or files that could help in the ongoing investigations.</p><p>Cabral, Lacson recalled, &quot;was showing some signs of cooperating with our investigation but with a lot of pressure which we could not explain.&quot;</p><p>He said Cabral, through her lawyer, met with him to discuss how she would proceed with her testimony before the Lacson-chaired Blue Ribbon Committee, after Roberto Bernardo, also a former DPWH undersecretary, tagged her in the issue.</p><p>He said Cabral could have &quot;significantly contributed to blowing wide open the extent of corruption&quot; in the department.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HOUSE RESOLUTION FOR PROBE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice said he will file a resolution on Monday to call for a House probe into Cabral’s death &quot;and her possible participation in the flood control anomalies.&quot;</p><p>He said Cabral&#x27;s subordinates at the DPWH may have notes and records related to the flood control projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/19/driver-of-ex-usec-cabral-now-person-of-interest-over-her-death-pnp-1329">Driver of ex-Usec. Cabral now &#x27;person of interest&#x27; over her death: PNP</a></div><p>&quot;With all her knowledge, hindi malayang possibility na may foul play ‘yun (it is not a remote possibility that foul play was involved),&quot; he also said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0UniphgflB0?si=d26ybEWlYUPvwMj2" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Several lawmakers on Friday extended condolences to the bereaved family of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, calling for an investigation on possible link between her death and the flood control corruption issue.</p>

Several lawmakers on Friday extended condolences to the bereaved family of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, calling for an investigation on possible link between her death and the flood control corruption issue.

‘Will truth die with her?’: Lawmakers seek probe into Cabral's death, protection of flood control evidence

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‘Will truth die with her?’: Lawmakers seek probe into Cabral's death, protection of flood control evidence

Marilyn Cahatol,

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 19, 2025 04:12 PM PHT

Read More:

Cathy Cabral

DPWH

flood control

corruption

Senate

House of Representatives

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