CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama has urged authorities to bring justice to the family of a 23-year-old basketball player who died in a “hit-and-run” incident in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.
Rama, who was initially implicated in Jeslar Larumbe’s death, said in a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 6, that he hopes for justice to be served for the victim’s loved ones.
Rama earlier denied involvement in Larumbe’s death and debunked claims circulating on social media that it was his convoy that hit Larumbe.
Church CCTV
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Chief Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog said they had already coordinated with the management of the church and some establishments in locations where the two vehicles passed to secure copies of their CCTV footage.
Rama said he already saw CCTV footage of the incident and assured that the city government is closely monitoring the situation.
Larumbe, aboard a motorcycle, was struck by a sport utility vehicle (SUV) near the Redemptorist Church on Queens Road in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City, on Sunday. Larumbe was left lying on the road after being hit by the SUV, which was reportedly using a siren.
Victim pursued
According to some motorists, the SUV that hit Larumbe had been pursuing the victim from the Ayala area until they arrived on Queen’s Road where the victim was hit.
The police will examine CCTV footage they obtained from the area. After hitting Larumbe, the SUV did not stop and continued toward Juana Osmeña St.
A fruit vendor near the area of the incident said she heard a car siren in the distance and assumed it was an ambulance.
After a loud bumping sound, the fruit vendor saw that a motorcycle had fallen and there was already a person lying on the road.
The fruit vendor said the SUV driver just continued driving straight toward Baseline. The vehicle reported had a “for official use only” sign on it.
Board exam
In an interview with the media on Monday, Bernadeth Lao Larumbe, mother of Jeslar, said her son was planning to take the board exam for civil engineering in April.
The mother said she could not easily accept how her son, who is the eldest in the family, had died.
She added that the last conversation she had with Jeslar was at 3 a.m. on the day of the incident. Jeslar said he was going out to eat after his review.
She begged the driver responsible for her son’s death to turn himself in.