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Cabral found dead in Benguet PNP: Not ruling out any factor; DILG, DOJ: Flood control probe to continue By Dexter See, Vince Lopez, Pot Chavez, Ram Superable, Maricel Cruz and Charles Dantes
F
ORMER Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was found dead on the bank of Bued River along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet Thursday evening.
Cabral, who was implicated in the flood control mess, was initially found unconscious at around 8 p.m. after allegedly falling into a ravine, the Tuba Municipal Police Station said. Acting Justice Secretary Frederic Vida said the case can be considered "death under suspicious circumstances" even as the listed official cause was accidental falling. He said there must be a mandatory autopsy in such cases. Cabral, who served as Undersecretary for Planning, was identified as one of the alleged masterminds of the flood control scheme, along with former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Cabral held a central role in approving projects and determining fund allocations. "The family has positively identified her, but we cannot rely on that alone. Baka may budol play. Baka ibang katawan ang ginamit (This might be a ploy. They might have
used a different body),” he said. For his part, PNP acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Nartatez Jr. said they are not yet ruling out any factor in the probe.
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 308 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2025 •
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Arrest warrant vs. Sarah Discaya finally served By Pot Chavez
DEATH SPOT. A yellow police line tape, left marks the spot where former DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was
spotted last by her driver yesterday along Kennon Road. At right, authorities check out the body of the former official who was found on the bank of the Bued River. PNP
STARS PARADE. Members of the cast and crew of the eight official Metro Manila Film Festival MMFF entries Bar Boys After School, Call Me Mother, I’m Perfect, Love You So Bad, Manila’s Finest, Rekonek, Shake Rattle and Roll Evil Origins, and UnMarry join the Parade of Stars yesterday which wound its way to Makati City. Norman Cruz
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has served two warrants of arrest on controversial contractor Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, even as authorities try to round up other respondents in cases related to massive corruption in the government’s flood control program. Discaya, along with several others, faces separate charges for alleged malversation through falsification as well as violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act linked to a P96.5 Next page
NO PHOTOS. Sarah Discaya
shields her face with a towel upon arrival yesterday at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Padre Faura, Manila, for the preliminary investigation on the P7.1-billion tax evasion case filed against them by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Norman Cruz
Groups call for tougher penalties on fake meds THE pharmaceutical industry, intellectual property rights advocates, and business groups are calling for steeper sanctions and the criminalization of medicine counterfeiting, which they have referred to as a “sophisticated and entrenched threat in the Philippines.” In a dialogue hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Next page
PBBM to review budget during the X’mas holidays By Charles Dantes MALACANANG said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will work during the holidays if needed to thoroughly review the proposed 2026 national bud-
get, even as lawmakers finalize the measure on a compressed timetable days before year-end. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President had expected the enrolled bill to be submitted earlier, but remained determined to study the budget measure closely prior to signing it before
Dec.31, provided it aligns with administration priorities. “The President will make sure the enrolled bill is carefully studied, closely monitored and thoroughly scrutinized,” Castro said during a Palace briefing. "What is important is that the provisions are consistent with the administration’s Next page
ICC Prosecution says Duterte feigning sickness to delay trial THE prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has called for the resumption of proceedings on the confirmation of charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying the defendant was “feigning cognitive impairments in an attempt to avoid trial”
for alleged crimes against humanity in his bloody but failed drug war. The prosecution, in a nine-page motion submitted to the Pre-Trial Chamber I on Thursday, cited medical evaluations that found Duterte fit to stand trial. Next page
Speed skating, beach Oil price rollback volleyball shine as on X’mas week SEA Games near end By Alena Mae S. Flores By Riera U. Mallari
GLORY DAYS. Speed skater Peter Groseclose, left, shakes off back-toback races to capture gold in the men's 500m short-track event. At left, Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez flex their fists after they teamed up with Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons to win the country’s first beach volleyball gold. POC
THAILAND—Team Philippines mounted a fierce last-ditch push in the penultimate day of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, piling up crucial gold medals in a futile effort to rise from sixth place in the medal standings, even as its traditionally dominant boxing team endured a bruising day marked by questionable calls favoring Thai fighters in the finals. The Filipinos’ gold rush was headlined by a historic breakthrough in beach volleyball, where Alas Pilipinas Women finally toppled eight-time champion Thailand on home sand in Pattaya. Next page
THE country’s oil firms are expected to rollback pump prices by over P1 per liter next week to reflect the movement of prices in the world oil market Diesel is expected to have a price rollback of P1 to P1.20 per liter and diesel by P0.60 to P0.80 per liter. “Oversupply concerns have caused oil prices to decline as the prospect of Russia-Ukraine ceasefire could lead Next page