A promising young life was tragically cut short following a hit-and-run incident that shocked the Cebu City community in the early hours of Sunday, February 8. Kingston Ralph Ko Cheng, a 23-year-old businessman and café owner at Ayala Center Cebu, died after being struck by a vehicle during a chaotic sequence of events in Maria Luisa Village, Barangay Banilad.
According to the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), the incident occurred at around 12:53 a.m. when a Toyota Innova driven by 21-year-old Sean Andrew Pajarillo collided with a parked Toyota Vios sedan inside the subdivision. Authorities said the driver allegedly fled the scene at high speed following the initial collision. Moments later, Cheng, a resident of the area, was reportedly run over near a resto bar as the vehicle sped away.
Witnesses recounted that the driver continued fleeing recklessly until he lost control of the vehicle, which eventually crashed and overturned near Paseo Rodulfo. Emergency responders rushed Cheng to a private hospital, where he was treated for critical injuries. Despite medical efforts, he was later pronounced dead.
Pajarillo, who also sustained injuries in the crash, is currently under hospital arrest. Police noted that he failed to present a valid driver’s license, as well as the official receipt and certificate of registration for the vehicle involved.
Cheng’s sudden passing has left his family, friends, colleagues, and the local business community in mourning. As tributes pour in, calls for justice continue to grow, with many urging authorities to ensure accountability for a life lost far too soon.