Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the investigation into the sudden death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral should be left to government investigative agencies.
According to Sotto, the incident should properly be investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
At the same time, the senator believes that Cabral’s death has no connection to the Senate blue ribbon committee’s own investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
Sotto added that while the Senate needs to determine Cabral’s involvement in the issue, the circumstances surrounding her death should be left entirely to investigators.
He also expressed sadness over the tragic fate of the former DPWH official.
Reports said Cabral died after allegedly falling into a ravine along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.
Based on the account given by Cabral’s driver to the Benguet Provincial Police, Cabral asked in the afternoon to stop along Kennon Road and to be left there.
When the driver returned to the area, Cabral was no longer there. After her disappearance was reported to the police that evening, Cabral was found unconscious by the side of the Bued River, about 20 meters below the highway.
(PHOTO COURTESY: SENATE)
