The legal counsel of deceased former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral said there is no need for DNA testing of her remains, questioning insinuations that she may have faked her death.
Lawyer Mae Divinagracia called for “compassion, restraint, and humanity” amid Cabral’s death, sharing the family’s request for the prompt release of her body.
“In this regard, the family respectfully appeals for the prompt release of Ms. Cabral’s remains so that they may begin mourning privately and lay her to rest with dignity and peace. DNA testing is likewise unwarranted, given that her family has already positively identified her remains. Claims and insinuations that she and her family faked her death are not only insensitive and inappropriate, they are also utterly reckless and baseless,” Divinagracia said in a statement.
The lawyer also said calls to seize Cabral’s phone and other belongings are unwarranted because no criminal, civil, or administrative complaints have been filed against her that would justify such actions.
“A life has been lost, and this is neither the time nor occasion to rush to extract answers from the personal effects of the deceased,” Divinagracia added, noting that no official complaints exist that would legally justify the seizure of Cabral’s personal effects.
Divinagracia emphasized that Cabral, who served in the DPWH for four decades, consistently denied involvement in alleged anomalous flood control projects. She also questioned the credibility of the testimony of former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, the lone evidence linking Cabral to a purported criminal conspiracy.
The lawyer said Cabral had cooperated with investigations and was prepared to face allegations. She reportedly missed only one hearing of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure because she did not receive official notification.
Divinagracia expressed regret that Cabral’s name has been repeatedly mentioned in what she described as a public shaming campaign by individuals leveraging the issue for political purposes.
“Above all, we ask that Ms. Cabral be remembered with fairness and compassion, and that her family be spared further distress as they navigate this period of profound sorrow,” the statement concluded.
Cabral died after allegedly falling in Benguet and was found unresponsive along the Bued River, approximately 20 to 30 meters below the highway.