The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Friday expressed condolences to the family of former undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, who was found dead near the Bued River in Tuba, Benguet on Thursday night.
Cabral, 63, was declared dead at 12:03 a.m. on Friday after she was found near the river following an alleged fall.
In a brief statement, the DPWH said Cabral had served the agency for more than four decades, noting that her passing would be “mourned throughout the organization.”
“We recognize the profound loss the family is facing and offer our sincerest prayers,” the agency said.
The DPWH also appealed to the public to respect the family’s privacy as they grieve.
Cabral resigned from her post in September after being implicated in an alleged kickback scheme involving flood control and other infrastructure projects.
She had also been recommended for possible administrative charges for alleged violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, linked to reported irregularities in several projects, including a ₱95.04 million flood control undertaking in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Earlier, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) said it had planned to invite Cabral as a resource person in its investigation into allegedly anomalous flood control projects but did not receive confirmation of her attendance.