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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Preserve Cabral's files, House members ask authorities

Preserve Cabral's files, House members ask authorities

Published Dec 19, 2025 01:23 pm

At A Glance

  • Preserve the files kept by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Catalina Cabral. This was the collective appeal of both House majority and minority bloc congressmen to authorities following the reported passing of Cabral after she fell in a ravine in Benguet on Thursday night, Dec. 19.
DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral (Senate PRIB)
DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral (Senate PRIB)


Preserve the files kept by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
This was the collective appeal of both House majority and minority bloc congressmen to authorities following the reported passing of Cabral after she fell in a ravine in Benguet on Thursday night, Dec. 19.
Before her death, Cabral was implicated in the flood control projects corruption scandal. She attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe on the issue.
Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste, a majority solon, led the call in a Facebook post shortly after the incident with Cabral was reported.
"Protect the witnesses of DPWH ???? and preserve their files," he wrote.
"May listahan sa computer ni yumaong USec Cabral ng lahat ng proponents ng DPWH insertions. May iilang may kopya nito. Kung lumabas lang ito, tapos na ang mga imbestigasyon," Leviste added.
(There is a list on the computer of the late Undersecretary Cabral containing all the proponents of DPWH insertions. A few people have copies of it. If it were to come out, the investigations would already be finished.)
Anotther majority member, Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Javier Miguel "Javi" Benitez, wrote in a separate post: "Ang ebidensya sa mga files at gadgets ni dating DPWH USec. Cabral ay mahalagang mapreserba. Bigyang daan ang paggana ng mga institusyon at ang paglabas ng katotohanan."
(The evidence in the files and gadgets of former DPWH Undersecretary Cabral must be preserved. Allow the institutions to function and the truth to come out.)
Minority bloc members Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña also recognized the immense value of the late DPWH official's files.
"The death of Cabral can benefit a lot of people. Needless to state, it adversely impacts, to a large degree, the ongoing flood control investigation because now, everything might be pinned on Cabral as the mastermind," De Lima said in a statement Friday.
"This should be thoroughly investigated by the authorities, especially by the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation). Cabral's residence, documents, and other personal effects should be applied for a seizure warrant and immediately secured by the authorities," said the former senator and Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary.
Cendaña said: "In the interest of integrity and continuity of the investigations, we call for the immediate securing of all her relevant digital records. The government must further guarantee the safety of all witnesses, suspects, and persons of interest."
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