MANILA — Forensic examinations have conclusively identified the remains recovered off Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet as those of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Catalina Cabral, with autopsy findings ruling out foul play and pointing to blunt force trauma from a high fall, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Sunday.
“Yes, DNA, fingerprints results are consistent na siya ‘yun (that it was her),” Remulla said in a television interview, confirming the identity of the remains found along the mountain highway in Benguet.
Remulla said the autopsy showed no indications of criminal involvement. “’Yung autopsy po ay number one, no signs of foul play. Wala pong ligature marks, wala pong sinakal, wala pong gunshot wound, wala rin pong knife wounds. So ang kaniyang cause of death as determined by autopsy is blunt force trauma from the fall,” he said.
He detailed injuries consistent with a significant drop. “So ‘yung kanang bahagi po ng mukha niya ay sira. ‘Yung likod ng ulo niya ay basag din. Ang kaniyang rib sa kanan rin ay tinusok ang kaniyang internal organs. Tapos ang parehong kaniyang kamay ay bali rin. So far, no signs of foul play,” Remulla said.
Authorities estimate Cabral fell about 30 meters from the roadside — roughly equivalent to a 10-storey drop. “Consistent siya na blunt force trauma ang cause of death,” he added.
Police investigators found no evidence of a struggle at the scene or inside Cabral’s vehicle, according to Remulla. “So far, no signs of foul play. ‘Yung kaniyang kotse ay walang nakitang [signs of] struggle ‘yung lugar na ‘yun ay walang nakakita ng kahit anumang anomalya doon,” he said.
Cabral’s driver, Ricardo Hernandez, remains a person of interest, though Remulla dismissed speculation that she was pushed. He said Cabral returned to her vehicle and checked into a nearby hotel alone before going back to the same roadside area about an hour later.
“Bumalik siya ng kotse at umakyat ng hotel. Pag-akyat ng hotel, mag-isa naman siyang tumira roon. Tapos after one hour bumaba rin tsaka siya bumaba na naman sa very same spot at du’n na nakita nangyari lahat,” Remulla said.
Investigators recovered no suicide note. “Wala kaming nakuhang suicide note. So we have to assume that this is a mental health issue,” Remulla said.
Police are coordinating with Cabral’s family to obtain her mobile phone as part of the continuing inquiry. “Ang sabi ng husband ay after cremation daw,” Remulla said.
Cabral, a long-serving government official once cited as a role model for women in infrastructure, had been linked to controversy involving alleged anomalies in flood control projects. Prior to her death, the Department of Justice was preparing to refer a plunder complaint tied to the case to the Office of the Ombudsman, Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon had said earlier./PN
