By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral’s death was likely caused by injuries when she slid and fell into a ravine in Benguet province.
Cabral was found dead at the bottom of a ravine at a stop along Kennon Road in Tuba on the evening of Dec. 18.
In a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City, PNP Forensic Group officer-in-charge PCol. Pierre Paul Carpio said the 3D scanning of the crime scene showed that Cabral fell to a point only 0.2 meters away from the base of the ravine and 16.9 meters in height from where she was last seen.
“In this case our medico legal confirms na ‘yong sugat or mga injuries sustained ay pare-pareho ‘yong aging. At the same time ‘yong correlation nung ating medico legal, ‘yung autopsy findings, ‘yung ating field-scanning at ating toxicology examination and even ‘yung height, ‘yung kinalapagan, kung ano ‘yung posisyon niya before or even during the impact ay nagbibigay ito ng confirmation na talagang first fall injury ang nangyari sa ating cadaver or ating biktima na si Usec. Maria Catalina Cabral,” Carpio told reporters.
Carpio rejected insinuations that Cabral might have been pushed to her death, saying her body was found between 0.2 meters and 0.8 meters from the base of the ravine.
“So kung tinulak ito, chances are lalayo pa siya doon. So makikita nyo dito ang kamay niya ay mas gasgas pati ‘yung likod may gasgas. So ang laki ng probabilidad na nagpadausdos siya. At the same time, ‘yung layo ng katawan niya doon sa base of the ravine ay nasa 0.2 to 0.8 meters lang ang layo. So it correlates, it confirms ‘yung possibility, napakataas na probabilidad na ganun ang nangyari,” he explained.
A toxicology report from the PNP earlier showed Cabral’s body tested positive for an antidepressant drug.
Cabral was linked to alleged irregularities in flood control and infrastructure projects, but she denied receiving kickbacks.
Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said based on autopsy results, Cabral died of “blunt traumatic injury consistent with a fall” and there were no signs of foul play. (PNA)
