Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral died in the area where an overpriced rock-netting project in Tuba, Benguet is located, an official disclosed on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Cabral may have been tormented by the corruption allegations and the area where she asked to be left alone, and later found dead, is one of them. 

“It is usual in the psychological makeup of suicide attempts that they go where they are most tormented,” said Remulla in a press briefing. 

“In this case, I think we see a pattern of torment for her because of the rock netting cases in Benguet which will I think down the road will implicate her and the congressman and the contractors who implemented the project,” he added. 

Cabral was found dead on Dec. 18 and was believed to have fallen off the cliff along Kennon Road.

Remulla said Cabral suffered serious injuries and that there was no foul play as all signs point to suicide. 

“The post mortem examination showed extensive facial injuries on the right side of her face, extensive injuries on the rear of her skull, extensive injuries to the right side of her rib cage and her hands. It shows a forward motion drop from the tip,” said Remulla. 

“Also it is usual of suicide attempts when they jump that they talk off their shoes and it was apparent in that moment and I think her shoes were separate from the body. So it shows the psychological patterns of a jump suicide,” he added. 

Cabral was accused of being one of the key players in budget insertions that paved the way for the flood control anomalies.

There were also other corruption allegations and Remulla said the rock-netting project in Benguet is one of them.

He said it was not a ghost project but there was overpricing done since the price square meter of the land was only P325 but the government paid P1,400 per square meter.

And the thought that the anomaly will eventually be discovered, according to Remulla, may have tormented Cabral.

While the driver remains a person of interest, Remulla said, “We still have to get to the background but to our investigation so far we see no conclusive links with him and the fall of Usec. Cabral.”