Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival vowed a thorough and transparent investigation into the fatal hit-and-run incident in Barangay Banilad that claimed the life of 23-year-old entrepreneur Kingston Ralph Ko Cheng.
“Our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the young Cebuano Kingston Ralph Ko Cheng who lost his life in the recent hit-and-run incident in Barangay Banilad. Our city mourns with you,” Archival said in a statement.
He assured the public that he had directed police authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation and to pursue the appropriate charges under the law.
“No one is above the law, and accountability will be based on the full facts of the case,” the mayor said, urging the public to allow the legal process to move forward.
Cheng, a café owner at Ayala Center Cebu and a resident of Maria Luisa Village, died after being struck by a vehicle along Paseo Saturnino Road shortly before 1 a.m. on February 8, police said.
Authorities identified the suspect as 21-year-old Sean Andrew Pajarillo, who has been charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property.
He remains under hospital arrest after sustaining injuries when the vehicle he was driving later crashed and overturned.
The incident
According to the Cebu City Police Office–Traffic Enforcement Unit (CCPO-TEU), Pajarillo was driving a Toyota Innova at around 12:53 a.m. when he allegedly hit a parked Toyota Vios owned by a 35-year-old resident of Barangay Mabolo.
Instead of stopping, witnesses said the driver sped away and later struck Cheng, who was walking along a pedestrian lane near the entrance of Maria Luisa Subdivision.
Police said the suspect continued fleeing at high speed but eventually lost control of the vehicle, which crashed near Paseo Rodulfo.
Cheng was rushed to a private hospital but was later declared dead due to severe injuries.
During apprehension, TEU personnel said Pajarillo failed to present a valid driver’s license and the vehicle’s official receipt and certificate of registration.
Authorities said he tested negative for alcohol and illegal drugs.
Police earlier said no separate charge for damage to property would be pursued regarding the parked vehicle after the parties reportedly agreed to a settlement.
However, subsequent reports confirmed that charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property were filed on February 10.
The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO 7) has issued a show cause order against Pajarillo and imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on his driver’s license pending investigation.
Calls for accountability
City officials and members of the business community echoed the mayor’s call for accountability.
Councilor Harold Kendrick Go expressed sympathy to the victim’s family and stressed the importance of upholding both accountability and due process.
“While we uphold the principle of due process, we also affirm that accountability must be enforced. The law must take its proper course so that justice may be served,” Go said, adding that the incident serves as a reminder that road safety is a shared responsibility among motorists.
The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) also mourned Cheng’s passing, describing him as “a very young entrepreneur” whose life reflected “the promise, creativity, and determination of Cebu’s next generation of entrepreneurs.”
The group called for a swift, transparent, and impartial investigation and underscored the need to strengthen road safety policies and enforcement.
“This senseless tragedy highlights the urgent need to strengthen accountability, road safety, and the protection of human life,” the CCCI said.
Friends, family members, and members of the community have taken to social media to mourn Cheng’s death and call for justice.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors evaluate the charges filed against the suspect. (LLP)
