PNP to question driver in Cabral’s death

MANILA, Philippines—The driver of the late Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral is now subject to questioning, Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Melencio Nartatez said on Sunday.

Nartatez said the probe of driver Ricardo Hernandez is the next step in the evidence-gathering by the police after Cabral’s death was confirmed.

“The next step is to establish what really happened, and this is now the focus of all our efforts in relation to this case,” Nartatez said in a statement, noting that this is why the resigned undersecretary’s driver is being subjected to questioning.

Cabral was found lifeless at the bottom of a deep ravine along Kennon Road in Benguet province. She was reported to have died from falling, based on the initial investigation.

Earlier, the PNP said Hernandez is now a person of interest in the case.

Hernandez first reported to police that Cabral was missing around 5 p.m. on Thursday, two hours after leaving her on the side of Kennon Road at Purok Maramal, Sitio Camp 5 in Barangay Camp 4 in Benguet’s Tuba town. 

According to Hernandez, it was Cabral’s request to be left there on her own. When she was found at 8 p.m., she was unconscious.

On Saturday, an image of a woman believed to be Cabral sitting on a concrete shoulder barrier on Kennon Road emerged in a selfie taken by Hernandez.

Nartetez, meanwhile, also said PNP is coordinating with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and other concerned agencies to determine the pieces of evidence that need to be secured in relation to the flood control probe.

In a related development, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the Cordillera Administrative Region served a search warrant at a hotel in Baguio City on Saturday.

NBI said the search warrant was issued by Judge Michael Francisco of the Regional Trial Court of Baguio City’s Branch 6.

Cabral and her driver had checked in at this hotel before returning to the area where she was found dead.

The former undersecretary, who resigned from the DPWH in September, had been linked to alleged irregularities in flood control and infrastructure projects, but she denied any involvement in kickback schemes. /apl/abc