Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><em><strong>TRIGGER WARNING: </strong>This report contains references to emotional distress and possible suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, help is available. You may contact the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) Crisis Hotline at 1553 (landline), or 0917-899-8727 and 0919-057-1553 (mobile).</em></div><div> </div><p>MANILA — A toxicology report showed the remains of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral tested positive for the presence of an antidepressant drug, according to initial findings from the Philippine National Police (PNP).</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2003377167191986592&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-12-23T10%3A55%3A59.398548%3A5521665d-d2f4-478e-84ec-a9701aa07cf7%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=289bd4b53be69a93a0ecd52a02052f9fc2711508&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:673px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2003377167191986592"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Based on the preliminary laboratory report from the PNP Regional Forensic Unit–Cordillera Administrative Region, partial qualitative examinations conducted on urine and vitreous specimens yielded positive results for citalopram, an antidepressant medication.</p><p>Police said the drug was among the items recovered by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during a search of the hotel room in Baguio City where Cabral and her driver had stayed.</p><p>Authorities also reported that a histopathological examination found no abnormalities or terminal diseases. </p><p>The cause of death was described as consistent with gross findings that included scalp and subdural hematomas on Cabral’s brain.</p><p>Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said initial findings point to suicide, adding that no signs of struggle were found at the scene. </p><p>He also confirmed that biometric verification supported the victim’s identity.</p><p>“The fingerprints matched, her pictures matched. The problem was that the old photos and the new ones may discrepancy konti kasi we think that there was plastic surgery done beforehand and so medyo magkaiba. But otherwise, all biometric features it is her with great degree of certainty,” Remulla said. </p><p>Results of the DNA examination have yet to be released.</p><p>Remulla underscored the importance of gadgets and other physical evidence in reconstructing the days leading to Cabral’s death after she was found in a ravine along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.</p><p>“What we have to determine is number one, if there were threats to her life; number two, if there were any conversations prior to the event; number three, if there were still transactions pending; and number four, who was she conversing with the week before the event,” Remulla explained.</p><p>Meanwhile, the PNP said it is closely coordinating with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Office of the Ombudsman to fast-track the forensic examination of the so-called “Cabral files” once these are turned over to authorities.</p><p>Acting PNP chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. assured the public that all materials will undergo thorough forensic scrutiny.</p><p>“Patuloy naming sinusubaybayan ang mga developments upang matiyak na lahat ng impormasyon ay maiproseso nang tama at naaayon sa batas,” Nartatez said in a statement.</p><p>He stressed the PNP’s commitment to transparency and accountability, saying law enforcement will continue to assist all investigative bodies to secure what needs to be secured within the bounds of the law.</p><p>Earlier, the DPWH turned over all data storage devices, documents, records, and files linked to Cabral to the Office of the Ombudsman, following a subpoena directing the agency to submit her computers and other devices for forensic analysis.</p><p>Nartatez expressed hope that the devices would yield files containing details on proponents involved in DPWH budget insertions.</p>

<p>A toxicology report showed the remains of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral tested positive for the presence of an antidepressant drug, according to initial findings from the Philippine National Police (PNP).</p>

A toxicology report showed the remains of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral tested positive for the presence of an antidepressant drug, according to initial findings from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Cathy Cabral tested positive for antidepressant: PNP toxicology report

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Cathy Cabral tested positive for antidepressant: PNP toxicology report

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 23, 2025 07:03 PM PHT

Read More:

DILG

PNP

DPWH

Usec. Catalina Cabral

death

suicide

toxicology

antidepressant

medico-legal

Cathy Cabral

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