Cabral attempted suicide twice at home, says lawyer
The late former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral made suicide attempts at home amid the investigation into the government’s flood control projects, her lawyer revealed on Monday.
Cabral’s first attempt happened during the hearings, “some time or days after the hearing, where former [DPWH] Usec. [Roberto] Bernardo implicated her,” Mae Divinagracia said in an ANC interview.
“She tried to hurt herself with a knife, but the daughter was able to seize the knife from her. And then she jumped off the stairs in their home,” the lawyer said.
During the Senate hearings on the flood control anomalies, Bernardo tagged Cabral as the official who controlled the DPWH National Expenditure Program under the leadership of former Secretaries Mark Villar and Manuel Bonoan.
‘Tipping point’
Divinagracia called Cabral’s first attempt at self-harm as “just the tipping point.”
“What really started it was when she was summarily dismissed in the guise of a courtesy resignation,” noted Divinagracia.
Cabral was allegedly “asked to tender her resignation” in the middle of the investigations after working for the DPWH for 40 years and was also “denied her retirement pay.”
Cabral felt that “she was being used as a scapegoat for the actual individuals culpable or responsible for this flood control mess,” Divinagracia added.
She said Cabral, on Dec. 18 last year, stepped out from her vehicle twice along Kennon Road, seemingly checking the ravine, according to the former DPWH official’s driver.
Undiagnosed depression
“Ms Cabral considered two other destinations along Kennon Road. She was checking daw the height and the depth of the ravine … But tumagal lang talaga sila doon sa (they stayed longer at the) third destination,” the lawyer continued.
Cabral was also observed “spiraling into depression.” She had low appetite and would call Divinagracia early in the morning to talk about things that had already been discussed.
Yet, Cabral was undiagnosed as she “refused to seek professional help,” Divinagracia said.
“She didn’t want it on record that she was suffering from a mental illness. So there was no clinical diagnosis,” Divinagracia added.
No file turnover
Cabral was one of the key figures in the alleged anomalies in the flood control projects. She died on Dec. 18 after falling down a 30-meter ravine along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.
Evidence showed signs of suicide, though the findings are not yet conclusive, according to police authorities.
Divinagracia also revealed that Cabral failed to turn over to her legal team the documents related to past DPWH projects before her death.
There were six boxes’ worth of documents that Divinagracia said Cabral showed them, containing different items relating to the DPWH annual budget from 2023 to 2025.
However, “the undertaking was for her to arrange those documents and to give it to us after she had arranged them. I’ve seen the documents, I’ve gone over some of them, I’ve perused through those documents, and I’ve seen a document ostensibly similar to the document that was released by [Batangas] Congressman [Leandro] Leviste,” said Divinagracia.
“But I cannot say with absolute certainty that it’s the same because I have not seen the entire document that Congressman Leviste claims to possess,” she added. “I’m not sure if it’s the same document [but] during the interview with the Office of the Ombudsman, she confirmed that Congressman Leviste obtained documents from her office. But for prudence’s sake, she could not authenticate the document until she is presented with the actual document that is with Congressman Leviste.”
Divinagracia clarified that “the boxes have not yet been surrendered to us.”
As to where they could be, “That’s what we don’t know, because before she passed on, she was supposed to give it to us. We didn’t know that this is how things will pan,” she added.
“The family [doesn’t] know where they are, so we don’t know where they’re stashed at the moment. We are trying to figure out where Ms Cabral [kept them],” she said.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please reach out to the National Center for Mental Health. Their crisis hotlines are available at 1553 (landline to landline, toll-free) or contact 0919-057-1553,and 0917-899-USAP (8727). Alternatively, you may also contact Hopeline PH at the following numbers: 0917-558-4673 or 0918-873-4673. Additional resources are available at ngf-mindstrong.org, or connect with them on Facebook at Hopeline PH.
