Ombudsman moves to secure gadgets of ex-DPWH undersecretary Cabral

Following the reported death of former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Catalina Cabral, the Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preservation of her electronic gadgets.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said early Friday that the agency directed authorities in Benguet to retrieve Cabral’s cellphone and other devices and place them under custody.

“The Ombudsman’s office directs the authorities in Benguet to take custody of and preserve the cellphone and other gadgets of former Usec. Cathy Cabral,” Clavano told reporters in a message thread.

“The same is to be turned over to the investigators at the proper time,” he added.

Cabral resigned from the DPWH in September amid an investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects. In an affidavit read before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged that several lawmakers and former DPWH officials, including Cabral, received kickbacks related to the projects.

“We need her phone at ALL COST!,” Clavano said in a separate message.

Cabral reportedly died Thursday after falling from a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.

Based on a report from the Benguet Police Provincial Office, Cabral was traveling with her driver along Kennon Road toward La Union at around 3 p.m. Police said she asked her driver to stop in the Maramal area between Camp 4 and Camp 5 and requested to be left there.

The driver, identified as Ricardo Hernandez, returned to the area at around 5 p.m. but could no longer find Cabral. Believing she had gone to a hotel in Baguio City, he proceeded there.

At around 7 p.m., Hernandez returned to the Kennon Road area but still failed to locate Cabral. He then reported the incident to the police.