Joselito Malig

DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral

Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Jeff Caparas

Carmelle Lacuata

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (2nd UPDATE) - Former Department of Public Works (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral has died after allegedly falling from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, according to police Thursday night.</p><p>Her remains have been brought to a local funeral parlor, according to ABS-CBN News stringer Rhen De Guzman</p><p>According to a report from the Benguet Provincial Police Office, the incident was reported by Cabral’s driver.</p><p>According to the driver, he and Cabral were travelling along Kennon Road towards La Union at around 3 p.m. when Cabral asked her driver to stop at Kennon Road and be left there. </p><p>The driver then went to a nearby gasoline station.</p><p>The driver then returned to the area at around 5 p.m. but failed to see Cabral. </p><p>He then went back to the hotel where Cabral was staying, but she was also not there.</p><p>He reported the incident to the police at around 7 p.m., and at around 8 p.m., Cabral was found unconscious and unresponsive at the side of Bued River, at least 20 meters below the highway.</p><p>Her remains have been brought to a local funeral parlor, according to ABS-CBN News stringer Rhen De Guzman</p><p>Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, in a statement Thursday, said the Ombudsman’s office has ordered authorities in Benguet to take custody of and preserve the cellphone and other gadgets of Cabral.</p><p>&quot;The same is to be turned over to the investigators at the proper time,&quot; Clavano added.</p><p>Cabral was implicated in alleged budget insertions and kickbacks from multibillion-peso flood control projects.</p><p>Cabral earlier denied allegations linking her to 2026 budget insertion, according to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon.</p><p>As Undersecretary for Planning and Public-Private Partnership, Cabral was in charge of preparing the DPWH&#x27;s budget and oversees infrastructure planning and programming, as well as the public-private partnership projects that the agency implements.</p><p>She later resigned from her post.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LAQijoVYaWE??si=AO1B4Ow273eBlEr4&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Former Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral was found unconscious and unresponsive after allegedly falling from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, according to police Thursday night.</p>

Former Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral was found unconscious and unresponsive after allegedly falling from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, according to police Thursday night.

Former DPWH Usec Cabral dies after alleged fall from Benguet cliff

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Former DPWH Usec Cabral dies after alleged fall from Benguet cliff

Jojo Pasion Malig,

Jeff Caparas,

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News,

Rhen De Guzman

Published December 18, 2025 11:55 PM PHT

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Updated December 19, 2025 07:50 AM PHT

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Catalina Cabral

DPWH

flood control scandal

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