By Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee
The death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was unfortunate and tragic, as she could have greatly helped expose the extent of corruption in the department’s infrastructure program. I hope Cabral may have left notes or files that could assist in the ongoing investigations.
It is tragic that she would end her life at a time when she could have significantly contributed to blowing wide open the corruption not only in flood control projects but in all other anomalies within the DPWH.
I met with Cabral, her lawyer, and two of my legislative staff — at her initiative — for a preliminary discussion on how she might proceed with her testimony before the Blue Ribbon Committee. This was immediately after former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo first mentioned her name in his sworn testimony.
At the time, I had the impression that Cabral was considering cooperating, though she seemed to be under significant pressure that we could not then explain. My confidence was bolstered by her lawyer’s statement that she could trust me completely as chairman, knowing that I have never sought “pork,” “allocable” funds, or any other projects she handled as the undersecretary for planning.
I hope she left notes or files of evidentiary value worth pursuing. Finally, may she rest in peace.