TEN days after young entrepreneur Kingston Ralph Cheng was killed in a hit-and-run along Paseo Saturnino, his mother broke her silence with a restrained but anguished statement. Authorities intensified the investigation, with the NBI examining possible violations of special laws, including the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act, in addition to charges already filed by police.
Katherine Cheng, Kingston’s mother, said in a statement released Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026: “I lost my son in an unimaginable, tragic way that makes it so painful that words cannot express. It was the most difficult moment in my entire life. Fear and hope were flooding inside me as I came to terms with the reality that I had lost him.”
Kingston died Saturday, Feb. 8 from injuries he sustained after he was thrown into a utility pole when a vehicle driven by Sean Andrew Pajarillo struck him along Paseo Saturnino, authorities said. Police said Pajarillo had earlier hit a parked vehicle before fleeing.
Katherine said filing a case was not initially considered.
“We are too hurt, and we wanted to lay our son to rest in peace. But we want to honor him and we don’t want the tragedy to go to waste, as if it did not happen,” she said.
She said the family will respect the outcome of the case as it unfolds and trusts the police and courts to do their jobs.
“The family’s intention to file a case is to make the incident official so that other loving families will never feel our pain,” she added.
The Cheng family said they hope Kingston’s death will serve as a reminder of the dangers of drunk driving and prompt authorities to strengthen efforts to ensure a safer Cebu.
“No amount of remorse or sincere apologies can ever bring him back. I don’t know how I can bear this; it is unbearable for any mother, for any parent,” Katherine said in a statement.
The Cheng family had remained silent since the incident, including during Kingston’s burial, when police booked Pajarillo for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and he was later released on P72,000 bail.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI 7) has launched a separate probe into possible violations of special laws.
Video evidence
NBI 7 Agent Maria Contesa Lastimoso, the case’s assigned investigator, confirmed the agency has launched its own probe and has preserved key video evidence.
“We have preserved that and it has been authenticated also,” Lastimoso said.
The bureau coordinated with Cheng’s family and began its inquiry by collecting CCTV videos recorded prior to the crash.
Among the footage being examined is a video that circulated online allegedly showing Pajarillo walking toward his car outside a bar in Cebu City shortly before the incident.
Lastimoso said the next step is to further authenticate the video, which appears to show Pajarillo in an intoxicated state before driving.
Photos and videos circulating on social media appeared to show Pajarillo intoxicated prior to the crash. However, a medical certificate issued by a government hospital indicated tests found no alcohol in his system.
Netizens raised concerns after police said the sobriety test was conducted 19 hours after the incident.
They also questioned the reliability of the examination after Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said the Cebu City Medical Center did not have equipment to test for the presence of alcohol in his system.
Lastimoso said the police’s filing of charges against Pajarillo does not bar the NBI 7 from pursuing additional charges under special laws.
“We’ve gotten information that they filed reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, which is bailable. But we also have other special laws like driving under the influence,” Lastimoso said.
“We are looking into special laws because it wouldn’t preclude us from filing other cases on top of the ones filed by the PNP under their jurisdiction,” she added.
As part of the investigation, authorities will identify potential witnesses, collect sworn affidavits and coordinate with Cheng’s legal counsel. / MVG / DPC