Marilyn Cahatol

Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and DPWH Undersecretary for Planning, Public-Private Partnership Catalina Cabral attend the House Committee on Public Accounts, Public Works, and Good Government inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of various government flood control projects at the House of Representatives on September 2, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

Rhen De Guzman

<p>MANILA — Former Department of Public Works (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral&#x27;s driver recounted the events leading to her death in an alleged fall from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet on Thursday night. </p><p>Driver Cardo Hernandez said Cabral, who had been implicated in alleged budget insertions tied to anomalous flood control projects, told him that they would be travelling to Baguio City from Manila just to relax.</p><p>&quot;Umaga po dito po kami sa may Kennon Road, nagtambay po kami nagpapalipas po ng ano, parang ano lang po, magtatangal ng stress. Tapos po pinaalis po kami ng mga pulis kasi bawal po dito, accident [prone] po yung lugar so dumiretso na po kami ng Baguio, kumain. Tapos check-in [sa hotel], tapos inaya niya po ulit niya ako pabalik dito,&quot; Hernandez said.</p><p>Hernandez said they returned to Kennon Road at around 2:30 p.m., but Cabral told him to leave her behind. </p><p>He said he returned to the area after around an hour, but failed to see Cabral.</p><p>&quot;Bago ko naman iwan, nakaupo po siya dun sa may bato. Sabi niya balikan ko na lang siya. Pagbalik ko siguro mga 1 hour, nakita ko binalikan ko, wala na po dito sa pwesto niya. Ngayon sinilip ko yung baba hindi ko naman po makita kasi natatakot din ako baka mahulog ako. So nag-ikot po ako, nagtanong po ako sa mga tao dito kung walang nakitang dumaang babae wala naman daw po,&quot; he said.</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.  </p><p>Hernandez noted that Cabral was mostly silent during the trip.</p><p>&quot;Okay naman po ang aura niya, hindi naman po siya ganon kalungkot, wala naman po sa mukha niya na ganon ang mangyayari,&quot; he said.</p><p>Hernandez has been driving for Cabral for seven years.</p><p>&quot;Naiyak na lang po ako... May tiwala po ako sa kanya. Sabi niya sa akin tutulungan niya ako habang buhay,&quot; he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RETRIEVAL OPS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The retrieval team from the Tuba Benguet Bureau of Fire Protection confirmed Cabral was no longer breathing and had no pulse when she was found on a cliif in Sitio Maramal, Barangay Camp 4. </p><p>Tuba Fire Station chief Senior Fire Officer 1  Roy Calpi said Cabral sustained severe fractures on her upper and lower limbs. Her body was found on a rocky area along the cliff.</p><p>Calpi said the 60-meter cliff is almost as high as a five-story building. </p><p>He said it took almost five hours before Cabral&#x27;s body was retrieved. </p><p>&quot;Ang mahirap diyan kasi wala tayong anchor point. Yun yung challenge sa operation na nangyari kanina, walang anchor point, kaya gumawa tayo ng paraan gumawa tayo ng artificial anchor point para makababa,&quot; Calpi added.</p><p>Cabral&#x27;s family arrived at the funeral home in Baguio City where her remains were brought around 2 a.m. on Friday. </p><p>They refused to comment and asked for respect as they mourned her passing.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/18/former-dpwh-usec-cabral-found-unconscious-after-falling-from-benguet-cliff-police-say-2355">Former DPWH Usec Cabral dies after alleged fall from Benguet cliff</a></div><p>Cabral earlier denied allegations linking her to budget insertions. </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><p>In a statement, the DPWH extended condolences to Cabral&#x27;s family. </p><p>&quot;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,&quot; the agency said.</p><p>&quot;The Department urges everyone to respect the family&#x27;s need for privacy as they mourn and come to terms with the sudden loss,&quot; it added.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wZomvUMXnmE?si=GDQe31QR4dxXkZb0" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Former Department of Public Works (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral's driver recounted the events leading to her death in an alleged fall from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet on Thursday night.</p>

Former Department of Public Works (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral's driver recounted the events leading to her death in an alleged fall from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet on Thursday night.

'Okay naman po ang aura niya': Driver recounts events before Cabral's death

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'Okay naman po ang aura niya': Driver recounts events before Cabral's death

Rhen De Guzman

Published December 19, 2025 08:06 AM PHT

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Updated December 19, 2025 08:51 AM PHT

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Bangin

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