MANILA, Philippines — A day after the Office of the Ombudsman ordered that the devices of the late Public Works undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral be secured, police have yet to take these under their custody following “procedural lapses” that resulted in the turnover of these devices to her family and her driver. As a result, Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla relieved Colonel Lambert Suerte, Benguet police provincial director, and Maj. Peter Camsol, Tuba municipal police chief, over alleged lapses in the initial response on the report of Cabral’s death; and Major Peter Fangon, Tublay municipal police chief, for failing to promptly secure Cabral’s phones. This comes as the Philippine National Police said on Saturday that it may release the results of the autopsy on Cabral. Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, PNP spokesman, said the medico-legal autopsy aimed to determine the cause and time of death. “Through the autopsy, authorities can establish the circumstances surrounding her passing,” he said. The examination was conducted early Saturday morning, from 12:02 a.m. to 3:45 a.m., after consent was granted by Cabral’s husband, Cesar Cabral, in the presence of three legal representatives. Authorities described the autopsy as a standard protocol in high-profile cases or those requiring forensic verification. Cabral, a prominent figure in the country’s engineering and infrastructure sector, was found unconscious at the Bued River below Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, on Thursday night. Initial reports indicated no immediate signs of foul play, but both investigators and the family opted for a forensic examination to ensure a definitive medical conclusion. As the autopsy moved forward, investigators have yet to seize Cabral’s personal phones, which were reportedly left in the custody of her family and her driver. Officials acknowledged that these devices were considered crucial for tracing communications, potential threats, and any information pertinent to ongoing inquiries into flood control projects. Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, PNP Public Information Office chief, confirmed that authorities planned to issue subpoenas to secure the devices for forensic analysis. Cabral had served the DPWH for several years as undersecretary for Planning and Public-Private Partnership Service. She was the first female president of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers and a known advocate for sustainable infrastructure development. She resigned from the DPWH following controversies surrounding flood control projects. Authorities emphasized that both the autopsy and the eventual retrieval of Cabral’s phones were critical steps in ensuring transparency and accuracy in determining the circumstances of her sudden death.