Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Monday, Dec. 22, that the family of the late former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral should be given space to grieve.

As for the growing public interest over files that Cabral may have shared before her death, Lacson said the release of such documents should be left to the proper authorities.

“I’d rather give first the late Usec Cabral’s family some space to grieve and mourn their loss,” Lacson said in a statement.

He said matters regarding the disclosure of documents Cabral may have shared before her death can still be undertaken by concerned authorities “at the proper time and venue".

Lacson added that he has consistently instructed his staff to consolidate and turn over all documents in his possession—whether from Cabral or other sources—to the appropriate bodies, including the International Criminal Investigation (ICI), the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“I have always instructed my staff to consolidate and turn over whatever documents I have, whether from Usec Cabral or any other sources, to the ICI, Ombudsman, or DOJ, as we have been consistently doing since the time I delivered my two privilege speeches all the way to the Senate BRC investigations,” he said.

Lacson’s statement came amid renewed public attention on alleged DPWH budget insertions.

This was after Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste said he was ready to release the alleged list of DPWH insertion proponents for public scrutiny.

However, Leviste wants the go signal to come from DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon.