Key witness in massive Philippine corruption scandal found dead after falling off cliff
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Former undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was accused of running a “kickback system” that benefited politicians and government contractors.
PHOTO: PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ANN
A former senior Philippine government executive embroiled in a massive corruption scandal was found dead on Dec 18 after an apparent fall from a cliff in the country’s north.
Former Public Works undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, 63, was reported to have fallen along Kennon Road in Tuba town, Benguet province, a mountainous area known for its steep terrain and winding roads.
Her driver told investigators she asked him to drop her off by the roadside at around 3pm. He then drove to a petrol station, and went back to fetch her two hours later, but she was no longer there.
He said he went to the hotel where Ms Cabral was staying, thinking she might be there. Sensing something amiss, he went to the police to report her as missing at 7pm. Ms Cabral’s body was found at the foot of a cliff an hour later.
Interior and Local Government Minister Jonvic Remulla said in a news conference on Dec 19 that the authorities had so far found “no foul play” in her death, but stopped short of saying whether it was an accident or suicide.
“There were no signs… But usually in these cases, you really can’t tell when things are happening,” he said.
Mr Remulla said there had been lapses in securing the crime scene, and that the driver was being treated as a “person of interest”.
“Any death of that nature is considered a crime scene. There must be extensive investigation first. But the body was immediately turned over to the family. There should have been a mandatory holding period,” he said.
The family, however, had agreed to an autopsy, he said.
He said Ms Cabral’s phone and laptop were also handed to the family instead of being secured first for forensic investigation.
Ms Cabral was reportedly one of the “masterminds” of a “kickback system” at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
That scheme was said to have netted billions worth of public funds for several powerful politicians – including at least three senators and one congressman – and government contractors.
As undersecretary in charge of planning, Ms Cabral oversaw the approval of infrastructure projects that politicians wanted to “insert” in the DPWH’s budget.
In hearings before Congress in November, former Public Works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed that about 10 per cent of the funds allocated for these projects had been skimmed off the top and distributed among politicians, contractors and DPWH “insiders”.
Ms Cabral oversaw this racket for former DPWH ministers Mark Villar and Manuel Bonoan, Mr Bernardo told lawmakers.
Mr Villar is the son of property and retail tycoon and former senator Manuel Villar, who has an estimated net worth of US$17 billion (S$22 billion).
He claimed Mr Bernardo’s testimony to Congress was “manufactured or tailored fit for his or other people’s convenience”.
Ms Cabral had ignored summons from an independent fact-finding committee
Death won’t stall probe
Mr Remulla, the interior minister, said Ms Cabral’s death would not stall the government’s efforts to prosecute and recover stolen money from those involved in the scam.
“No matter what you do, the law will go after you. In life and in death, the wheels of justice will turn. Whatever they do, we will go after them,” he said.
He said Ms Cabral’s assets, if proven to be ill-gotten, could still be confiscated.
“There is a money trail and an evidence trail that we will still chase,” he said.
Congressman Percival Cendana said Ms Cabral’s death “raises serious questions”.
“Who will benefit most from her death? Will the truth die with her? Will she be the ‘fall guy’ in this grand corruption scandal?” he said.
Since 2024, widespread allegations have emerged that at least US$2 billion intended for government flood-control and disaster-mitigation projects was mismanaged, diverted or stolen
Many projects were found to be substandard, incomplete or “ghost” – never even built.
Former congressman Zaldy Co – who was implicated in millions of dollars’ worth of “ghost” flood control projects – fled the Philippines in July, before charges could be filed against him.
His passport has been cancelled, and he is now considered a fugitive.
Mr Marcos earlier reached out to Malaysia and Singapore
The scandal has prompted mass protests and anti-corruption rallies
The controversy has shaken confidence in Mr Marcos. He has vowed to pursue those responsible and jail suspects, but public anger persists amid demands for deeper accountability.
Flood-control spending is effectively paused for 2026 while projects are re-evaluated, slowing infrastructure work and affecting economic growth
