By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now gathering evidence to determine the circumstances behind the death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.
“With the confirmation of her death, we were able to clear things up on the speculations of the identity of the remains. The next step is to establish what really happened and this is now the focus of all our efforts in relation to this case,” acting PNP chief PLt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement Sunday.
Nartatez said the PNP is handling the probe carefully as the incident is of national interest due to Cabral’s supposed knowledge in the anomalous flood control projects currently being investigated by the government.
“Aside from the conduct of the investigation into this incident, the Philippine National Police is actively working with other agencies in securing all the pieces of evidence with regard to the ongoing investigation into the flood control controversy,” he said.
Cabral was found dead early Friday after falling into the Bued River in Tuba, Benguet several meters from the highway.
In a statement on Saturday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said based on the results of Cabral’s autopsy, which showed that she died of “blunt traumatic injury consistent with a fall,” there were no signs of foul play in her death.
Nartatez said while the PNP understands the sensitivity of the incident, especially to Cabral’s family and relatives, there is a need to pursue measures to secure possible pieces of evidence in her possession at the time of her death.
He also said that in order to prevent lapses that resulted in the relief of a police official in Tuba, he ordered stricter internal supervision of local police units involved in the incident.
“This is not only to clarify the circumstances of her death but also to support our ongoing probe into the alleged flood control anomalies in the DPWH, so that no evidence is left unchecked,” Nartatez said.
He once again appealed to the public to refrain from making speculations and just wait for the official result of the investigation.
The PNP’s probe is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure that all law enforcement operations, including the investigation into Cabral’s death and the related DPWH flood control anomalies, are conducted with diligence, integrity and transparency. (PNA)
