THE mother of young entrepreneur Kingston Ralph Cheng has spoken out for the first time since her son was killed in a tragic hit-and-run on Paseo Saturnino. Her emotional statement comes as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) launches a new probe into the crash, looking specifically at whether drunk driving laws were broken.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Feb. 17, Katherine Cheng described the "unimaginable" pain of losing her son. Kingston died on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2026, after being struck by a vehicle driven by Sean Andrew Pajarillo. The impact threw Kingston into a utility pole; he did not survive his injuries.
“I lost my son in an unimaginable, tragic way that makes it so painful that words cannot express,” Katherine said. She explained that while the family initially just wanted to grieve in peace, they decided to move forward with a legal case to honor Kingston and prevent other families from feeling the same pain.
While the driver, Pajarillo, was originally charged by police with reckless imprudence and released on ₱72,000 bail, many questions remain about what happened before the crash.
Social media videos allegedly show Pajarillo appearing intoxicated at a bar shortly before getting behind the wheel. However, a hospital test later claimed there was no alcohol in his system. Critics have pointed out two major issues with that test:
The Delay: The test was not done until 19 hours after the accident.
The Equipment: Mayor Nestor Archival revealed that the hospital where the test was taken didn't actually have the proper equipment to test for alcohol.
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Meanwhile, the NBI Central Visayas has started its own independent investigation. They are looking into the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act, a special law that carries different penalties than standard traffic charges.
NBI investigator Maria Contesa Lastimoso confirmed that they have secured and authenticated key video evidence. "We also have other special laws like driving under the influence," Lastimoso said, noting that the NBI can file these additional charges even if the police have already filed their own case.
The Cheng family says they trust the police and the courts to do their jobs. They hope that by making this incident "official" through the legal system, it will remind the public of the deadly dangers of drunk driving and push authorities to make Cebu’s streets safer.
“No amount of remorse or sincere apologies can ever bring him back,” Katherine said. “I don’t know how I can bear this; it is unbearable for any mother, for any parent.”