MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered the relief of Benguet’s police chief and Tuba town’s police head for “mishandling” the investigation into the death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral.

DILG chief Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla confirmed to Rappler on Friday night, December 19, the relief of Benguet police chief Police Colonel Lambert Suerte and Tuba acting police chief Police Major Peter Camsol Jr.

“They did not treat it as a crime scene. They did not seal the area. They were negligent of the gravity of the situation,” Remulla told Rappler.

“Although all signs point to a suicide, all guidelines of a possible crime should have been observed. It was [a] bad police work,” he added.

The Cordillera Administrative Region police also confirmed Camsol’s relief. Police Major Orville Wap, the deputy chief of police of La Trinidad, replaced Camsol.

In a presser on Friday morning, Remulla told reporters that the local police had “lapses” in handling the crime scene. He said that Cabral’s gadgets were not turned over to the authorities, but rather, to Cabral’s family.

Earlier that day, the Office of the Ombudsman had urged Benguet authorities to secure Cabral’s belongings as they may contain possible evidence.

“It was a crime scene. So, there were lapses on the part of the investigators. But we are doing everything we can now to retrieve [all the] materials,” the DILG chief said.

Cabral, the alleged person behind budget insertions through the DPWH, was found unconscious in Benguet on Thursday, December 18. Shortly after authorities retrieved her body, she was pronounced dead on Friday at around 12:03 am. – Rappler.com