🚨 THE SECRET WITNESS AT THE CLIFF’S EDGE! 🚨 The Mysterious Death of Maria Catalina Cabral: The “Hotel of Secrets,” the Duterte Connection, and the 51-Billion Peso Flood Control Scandal!

TUBA, BENGUET — The date is Monday, December 22, 2025, and the mountain air of Benguet is thick with the stench of a high-level conspiracy. The mysterious “fall” of former DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral into a 30-meter rocky ravine was initially whispered as a tragedy, but today, it has exploded into the most dangerous investigative scandal in Philippine history.

Was it a choice, or was it a “silencing”? As Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla uncovers a paper trail linking a luxury hotel, a billionaire Congressman, and the inner circle of the Duterte family, the nation is left asking: What did Cabral know that was worth her life?

I. THE FINAL HOURS: The Secret Hotel Sale

The investigation begins at the Ion Hotel in Baguio. Just hours before her body was found shattered on the rocks of the Tuba ravine, Cabral checked into this hotel—a property she once owned.

The Transaction: Secretary Remulla revealed a bombshell—Cabral recently sold the Ion Hotel to Benguet Representative Eric Yap, a known close ally and “best friend” of Pulong Duterte.

The “Unwind” Alibi: Cabral’s husband and driver claimed she went to Baguio to “relax” and “unwind” from the crushing stress of the Ombudsman and ICC investigations. But why check into a hotel you just sold to a political kingpin?

The Midnight Departure: CCTV shows Cabral entering alone and leaving alone. But the “Ion Hotel” is now considered a Crime Scene, locked down by authorities as they search for two bags filled with documents that Cabral reportedly brought with her.

II. THE WITNESS IN THE SHADOWS: The “Man in Red”

While the official report leans toward a “fall,” a resident of Tuba, identified as Rose Paswi, has come forward with a revelation that chills the blood.

The Curbside Meeting: Rose claims she saw Cabral on the edge of the Quezon Road cliff at 8:00 AM on December 18—the very morning of her death.

The Mystery Companion: Cabral was not alone. Rose saw a man with short hair wearing a red shirt standing with her. They weren’t just tourists; they were deep in conversation at a dangerous, curved section of the road where no tourist ever stops.

The “Selfie” Cover: To the casual observer, they looked like they were taking photos. But Rose noted the tension. Shortly after, a dark-colored vehicle parked nearby sped off. When the police arrived later, the man in red was gone, and Cabral was at the bottom of the abyss.

III. THE 51-BILLION PESO MOTIVE: The Davao Insertion

Why would anyone want a retired DPWH official gone? The answer lies in the flood control budget.

The Confirmation: Before her death, Cabral was the “key” to the 51-billion peso insertion by Pulong Duterte in Davao City—reputedly the largest corruption scandal involving flood control in history.

The Rock-Netting Connection: Cabral and Eric Yap are allegedly linked to a 32-billion peso rock-netting project in Benguet. President Marcos recently visited the site, calling the project “useless.”

The Ombudsman Pressure: Cabral was summoned to the Ombudsman on December 3. She was a “Work in Progress” witness who was about to break the silence on how the Duterte-era DPWH handled billions in infrastructure funds.

IV. THE AUTOPSY OF A TRAGEDY: Blunt Force and Broken Ribs

The physical evidence is as brutal as the politics behind it.

The 30-Meter Drop: Investigators confirmed Cabral fell 30 meters onto “pure rock.” There were no trees to catch her, no soil to soften the blow.

The Shattered Remains: The autopsy report is harrowing: the right side of her face was crushed, her arms and knees were snapped, and her ribs were “shattered toward her internal organs.”

The “First Attempt”: Police revealed that earlier that morning, Cabral was seen at the same spot, but she retreated when a patrol car passed by. Was she looking for the right moment, or was she waiting for a meeting that turned deadly?

V. THE FINAL VERDICT: The First Congressman to Fall?

Secretary Remulla’s words have echoed through the halls of Congress: “Eric Yap may be the first Congressman to be arrested.”

The Duterte Link: The connection between Cabral, Yap, and Pulong Duterte is no longer a theory—it is documented in property sales and DPWH project biddings.

The “Crime Scene” Hotel: The documents found in Cabral’s bags at the Ion Hotel are believed to be the “smoking gun” that proves the 51-billion peso corruption.

The Silenced Witness: Whether it was a “leap of despair” or a “shove of necessity,” Maria Catalina Cabral took a wealth of secrets to her grave. But the papers she left behind may speak louder than she ever could.

The investigation is far from over. As the mourning period ends, the “True Colors” of the power players in Davao and Benguet are beginning to bleed through.