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December 23, 2025 | 6:04pm
Then Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee motu proprio hearing on flood control, Sept. 8, 2025.
Senate PRIB
Trigger warning: suicide, mental health issues
MANILA, Philippines — The body of the late public works and highways undersecretary Maria Catalina "Cathy" Cabral has tested positive for anti-depressant medication, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
In a toxicology report released to the media on Tuesday, December 23, the PNP said that Cabral tested positive for citalopram, which it said is an anti-depressant drug.
“Partial qualitative examination conducted on specimens B and C gave POSITIVE results to the test for the presence of Citalopram, an antidepressant drug.”
According to the PNP, test tubes labeled “urine” and “vitreus” gave positive results containing citalopram.
Catalina was found dead on December 19 in a ravine in Benguet. This was amid the investigation into the flood control projects, where she was accused of managing budget allocations for flood control projects, including insertions favoring lawmakers.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, on December 22, said that all the circumstances of her death indicate suicide.
Meanwhile, in a press conference on Tuesday, December 23, PNP Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said that a knife was found in the hotel where she stayed before the incident that led to her death.
According to Nartatez, the knife was “probably used for self-protection." — with reports from OneNews
If you or someone you know is struggling, contact the National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline at +63 917 899 8727 or 7989 8727 for immediate support.
