Old video shows late DPWH Usec. Cabral saying she's afraid of heights
An old video showing former DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral expressing a fear of heights resurfaced after she was found dead in Benguet, following an alleged fall from a cliff.
In a Q&A video, originally shared six years ago and recently reshared by D+C Design and Construction Magazine, Cabral answered a series of personal questions. She discussed topics ranging from her favorite place in the Philippines to her dream profession and other personal interests.
At one point, she was asked about her biggest phobia, and she replied, "Heights."
Cabral died after she allegedly fell from a ravine along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, on Thursday evening, Dec. 18.
According to Benguet Police, Cabral and her driver, Ricardo Hernandez, were on their way to La Union at around 3 p.m. when they made a stopover along Kennon Road, where Cabral requested to be left alone.
Hernandez said he went to a nearby gasoline station before returning to the area at around 5 p.m., but Cabral was nowhere in sight.
He searched the area before going to Cabral's hotel in Baguio City, but did not find her there. He then reported the incident to the police at around 7 p.m., where they later found Cabral's lifeless body below the highway along a riverbank.
Pangilinan: Verify Cabral's death
Meanwhile, Senator Kiko Pangilinan urged DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Dec. 19 to investigate Cabral’s death and confirm the body's identity.
"We do not wish to be insensitive if indeed death has been established, but considering that billions of pesos are involved, we call on Sec. Jonvic Remulla to check and validate if the remains of former Usec. Cathy Cabral were properly identified by the authorities concerned," he wrote on his social media posts.
We do not wish to be insensitive if indeed death has been established but considering that billions of pesos are involved, we call on Sec. Jonvic Remulla to check and validate if the remains of former Usec. Cathy Cabral were properly identified by the authorities concerned.… pic.twitter.com/uAcuvnvXKk
— Kiko Pangilinan (@kikopangilinan) December 19, 2025
Pangilinan cited the case of Mary Ann Maslog, a businesswoman who was convicted of graft after the anomalous procurement of P24-million worth of textbooks in 1998.
She evaded arrest by using false identities and faking her death for over five years.
Flood control probe placed in 'dangerous territory' after Cabral's death
Meanwhile, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano told the reporters on Friday that they are in "dangerous territory" because a lot of big names are involved in the scandal.
"This exactly is what we wanted to prevent from the very start, which is why we were ready already to offer her 'yung personal safety requirement," he added.
Clavano said Cabral was considered “very central” to the flood control investigation.
“We need to preserve the integrity of all the information that she may have held while she was alive and especially when she was the Usec. of DPWH,” he said, noting that they have received information that Cabral had a list of project proponents and the projects.
He added that their goal was to preserve the integrity of Cabral's gadgets to trace contacts and other valuable information stored related to the investigation.
"Time is of the essence now. Kailangan talaga natin makuha agad-agad ang mga gadgets na ito at the risk of them being altered, erased by family members or friends," he added. "We afford all the respect and condolences to the bereaved family, but there is this state interest that has to keep moving, and that is the investigation into the flood control."
"Our hope and our goal here is to make sure that every proven amount, every cent, every peso that we discover was stolen and is in the estate of former Usec. Cabral would still be retrieved and returned to the government," he added.
On the other hand, the Department of Justice said that Cabral was among those named in the plunder case scheduled to be forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon stated that the case involves irregularities in flood control projects in Bulacan
“Magsisimula pa lang sana ‘yung preliminary investigation as far as the case na kinasasangkutan niya,” he said in a press briefing on Friday.
"These are projects in Bulacan, but apart from the fact na yung regular cases na tinatanggap at pini-PI [preliminary investigation] natin sa ngayon, ito ‘yung mga kaso na hindi lamang nalilimita doon sa mga opisyal ng Bulacan District Engineering Office but ito’y umakyat na, meron tayong ebidensya na nagtuturo din sa mga proponent na nakinabang dito sa mga projects na ‘to,” he added.
Fadullon said that they cannot disclose the evidence they hold against Cabral as it needs to be examined and evaluated by the Ombudsman.
However, he noted, “Considering that death extinguishes criminal liability, there might not be any other reason also to bring it out. Because if at all, titingnan natin kung papaano pa natin mapapatunayan. Mapatunayan man natin wala na ‘yung tao na nasa sakdal."
Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida noted that while the criminal liability gets extinguished by her death, she is not cleared of other civil liability.
“We will continue to proceed with possible filing of civil forfeiture cases just to make sure that we’re able to get hold of or preserve assets under her name,” Fadullon said.
Meanwhile, ICI Chairman retired Justice Andres Reyes revealed they invited Cabral on Dec. 15 with the hopes of getting a confession, but she did not show up.
