BAGUIO CITY — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral was declared dead early Friday morning, 19 December, after being found unconscious along the Bued River in Tuba, Benguet.
Cabral, 63, had recently resigned from her post following allegations linking her to irregularities in flood control projects and budget insertions.
Discovery and Timeline
According to the Cordillera Police Regional Office, Cabral was discovered unresponsive on the riverbanks below Kennon Road late Thursday night. She was retrieved by first responders and rushed to a nearby hospital, but was declared dead at 12:02 a.m. on Friday.
Initial police reports state that Cabral was travelling from Baguio City to La Union with her driver, Ricardo Hernandez, on Thursday afternoon. Around 3:00 p.m., she reportedly asked to alight at Purok Maramal, Sitio Camp 5 in Tuba, instructing her driver to leave her alone.
Hernandez told investigators he returned to the area at 5:00 p.m. to pick her up, but could not locate her. After searching local hotels and the vicinity without success, he alerted the authorities. Police and fire personnel later located Cabral’s body approximately 30 meters from the riverbank.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident to determine the official cause of death and whether foul play was involved.
Corruption Controversies
Cabral’s death comes amidst a high-profile Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation into alleged corruption within the DPWH. She had been accused of facilitating “allocables”—budget insertions for flood control projects that were allegedly flagged as irregular.
Although Cabral submitted a courtesy resignation, which was accepted by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on 14 September 2025, the Senate panel had subpoenaed her to appear at ongoing hearings, asserting that her resignation did not exempt her from accountability regarding the 2026 National Expenditure Program.
Career and Legacy
Before the controversies, Cabral was recognised as a trailblazer in the engineering sector. She was the first female rank-and-file employee in the DPWH’s history to rise to the position of Undersecretary.
A licensed civil engineer, she held three doctorate degrees and three master’s degrees in various fields, including economics and public administration. She also made history as the first female National President of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) and the Road Engineering Association of the Philippines (REAP).
The DPWH released a brief statement Friday morning expressing condolences to her family, acknowledging her four decades of service to the department.
Watch: News Report on the Incident (Source: Bilyonaryo)
