THE Office of the Ombudsman has issued a statement clarifying that while it has received some computer files related to the late former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, the investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects will primarily rely on original evidence.
This comes after Batangas First District Rep. Leandro Leviste claimed to have presented the “Cabral files” to the Ombudsman.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano stated on Monday, December 29, that Congressman Leviste did not present the complete set of files he claimed to possess, despite assertions that he had shown the “Cabral files” to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla before Cabral’s death on December 18.
“After Congressman Leviste publicly claimed to possess the complete list in the supposed Cabral files, investigators from the Office of the Ombudsman approached him as a matter of prudence and diligence while former Undersecretary Cabral was still alive and was already represented by counsel at that time,” Clavano said.
“During this engagement, Congressman Leviste presented only limited portions of the list, responsive, in fairness, to specific inquiries. However, he did not present the entire set of files he claimed to possess, even when asked to do so,” he added. Clavano emphasized that this contradicts Leviste’s claims that the entire “Cabral files” had been shown to or examined by the Ombudsman.
Clavano also announced that the Ombudsman now has custody of the CPU from Cabral’s personal computer and is preparing for a forensic examination. “The Office considers this a critical development as it allows the investigation to proceed on the basis of an original digital piece of evidence,” he said.
“The Office is preparing to conduct a digital forensic examination of the former undersecretary’s CPU. This will be done transparently and in coordination with the Commission on Audit, the DPWH, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group,” Clavano added, ensuring the integrity of the process.
Clavano stressed that the “Cabral files” are not the sole basis of the Ombudsman’s investigation into the anomalous flood control projects. These files will still undergo verification and scrutiny for possible manipulation. “The Office of the Ombudsman has been approached by multiple sources claiming to possess copies of the supposed Cabral files. These claims underscore the importance of distinguishing between original evidence and secondary or third-party copies.”
He noted that the most reliable source of documents is the agencies or individuals who own, control, and have authorship of the computers, storage devices, and files. “Evidence derived directly from these sources naturally carries far greater evidentiary value than copies circulating outside official custody,” Clavano said.
“The Cabral files are only one part of the investigation. Alleged insertions that supposedly appear in these files still need to be carefully examined to determine whether the projects were actually implemented or if they turned out to be ghost projects,” Clavano added. The official also stated that fund insertion itself is not automatically illegal. “It becomes criminal only if it is proven to involve fraud, misuse of public funds, or non-existent projects.”
As of now, there has been no response from Leviste regarding these statements.
