Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Friday, 19 December, said the probe into former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Cathy Cabral’s death should be left to investigative government agencies.

According to Sotto, the Senate has no role in the investigation, which should be handled by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Yung pagkamatay, ang mga kinalaman niya talagang dapat malaman ng Senado lahat yan. Pero doon sa pagkamatay, let's leave it to the investigators,” he said during a Zoom interview with reporters.

("Of course, the details of her death should be made known to the Senate. But let's leave her death to the investigators.")

PNP Acting Chief Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered a thorough investigation into Cabral’s death to ensure all possible angles are examined and to establish the cause and circumstances of her death.

Sotto also lamented Cabral’s passing, stressing that she was a key figure in the flood control anomaly.

“Mabigat din yan. Kasi maraming masyadong nalalaman si former Usec Cabral tungkol sa mga goings on ng DPWH, even many years before up to now,” he said.

("That’s heavy. Because former Usec Cabral knew a lot about the DPWH even many years before up to now.")

“Ilang taon na siya dun. Bagama’t may mga iniwan siyang impormasyon, sinabihang mga tao,” he added.

("She has been around there for decades. Although she left some information to some people.")

Senate Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Cabral, through her lawyer, met with him and two legislative staff members for a preliminary discussion on how she could proceed with her testimony before the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.

Lacson said he had the impression that Cabral was willing to cooperate, “but with a lot of pressure we could not explain.”

Authorities said Cabral allegedly fell into a ravine along Kennon Road in Baguio on Thursday evening, 18 December.

Based on the initial investigation, Cabral left Baguio on Thursday afternoon with her driver, traveling toward the lowlands. Along Kennon Road, she reportedly asked the driver to stop and leave her alone. When the driver returned, Cabral was no longer in the area.

Search and rescue teams later found Cabral’s body along the Bued River, estimated to be 20 to 30 meters below the highway.