Clavano: ‘Time is of the essence’ to secure Cabral’s gadgets

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano on Friday stressed the urgency of securing the gadgets owned by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral following her death, as investigators race to preserve potential evidence linked to the probe into alleged flood control anomalies.

Speaking at a press conference, Clavano said immediate custody of Cabral’s gadgets is crucial to trace her recent communications and determine whether they are connected to the ongoing investigation.

“The reason for this is quite obvious because we want to know who are the people she talked to before this had happened, to see if there’s anything in relation to our investigation here with regards to the flood control investigations,” AO Clavano said.

Clavano described Cabral as a key figure in the case, noting that information she may have possessed during her tenure at DPWH must be preserved.

“There is several information that has reached us that she has a list of these proponents and the projects, so this was a subject of inquiry that was conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.

According to Clavano, Cabral visited the Office of the Ombudsman on 3 December 2025, where an initial inquiry was conducted to determine what possible charges could be filed against her.

“The Ombudsman was willing to talk to her and to slowly gather information as she became more and more comfortable with the setting,” Clavano said.

He added that Cabral was a “rich source of information” on individuals who allegedly inserted projects later identified as ghost projects.

Clavano said the supposed list of individuals involved in the project insertions has not yet reached the Ombudsman’s office. He warned that delays increase the risk of digital evidence being altered or erased.

The Ombudsman, he said, will apply for cyber warrants to gain access to Cabral’s computers and other electronic devices, which fall under established legal procedures.

“Time is of essence now, we need to quickly retrieve these gadgets, at the risk of them being altered, erased by family members or friends,” Clavano said.

“We don’t want to intrude into their family affairs especially in this time of grief,but we have interest that we have to advance,” he added.

Clavano said Cabral’s family has so far been cooperative, expressing hope that such cooperation will continue given the stakes of the investigation.

“Their cooperation will be very helpful and valuable to us so we would like to plead with them, we hope that their cooperation to the authority will continue, we also give them thanks and appreciate that they have allowed the DNA test, as well as autopsy be conducted on the body,” Clavano said.

Furthermore, Clavano noted that despite the death of Cabral, the Ombudsman has already formed a team to analyze that, if she was found guilty on linkage to anomalies in flood control, every cent that was proven stolen will return to public funds.

“Our hope and our goal is to make sure that every amount, every cent, every person that will learn was stolen by former Usec. Cabral, we still need to retrieve it and returned to the government,” he explained.