CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — The National Bureau of Investigation 7 (NBI-7) will launch its own investigation into the hit-and-run incident that fatally killed 23-year-old entrepreneur Kingston Ralph Cheng to expedite the probe of the case that eventually sparked public controversy.
NBI-7 information officer Agent III Maria Contessa Lastimoso asserted that the bureau proactively reached out to the victim’s family, aiming to fast-track the investigation by offering their investigative services.
She shared that she had personally spoken to Kingston’s father, Robert Cheng, regarding their investigation and was in contact with their family’s lawyer.
However, as of yesterday, February 18, NBI-7 has not yet received a formal complaint from the Cheng family.
“The NBI-7 has already reached out to the family of Kingston and we are waiting for documentation coming from them, especially the Affidavit of Complaint and all that,” Lastimoso told The Freeman.
Although the police have already begun their investigation, Lastimoso maintained that the NBI-7 will also conduct a separate investigation to give the case due attention, considering that it is a high-profile case.
“The NBI can always investigate on motu propio (on his own impulse), especially for crimes like this (that) can be considered high-profile cases,” she explained.
To recall, Kingston died after being struck by a vehicle driven by 21-year-old Sean Andrew Pajarillo at Paseo Saturnino, Maria Luisa Road in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City on February 8.
The accused, who got injured when his car eventually overturned, was then placed under hospital arrest by the police. He was believed to be driving while intoxicated although he later tested negative in the alcohol examination. He was charged with Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide, but was able to post P72,000 bail for his temporary release, pending the upcoming court arraignments.
While waiting for the formal complaint to be filed by the Cheng family of Kingston, Lastimoso shared that the NBI-7 has already begun collecting and verifying closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the events before, during, and after the incident.
“All the CCTV footage where it happened and how the vehicles actually came into the picture, the vehicle of Pajarillo, and then how he was able to get Kingston eventually, including the CCTV footage inside the bar—we have that already, and it has been authenticated as well,” said Lastimoso.
Based on the preserved footage, Lastimoso disclosed that the NBI-7 will determine possible offenses under the special laws that may be additionally charged against Pajarillo.
“We will be screening all the CCTV footage that we have gathered and what would be the corresponding charges to file,” she said. “But of course that wouldn’t go through without the family of Kingston Cheng first filing a case with us, because their complaint is very important.”
For Lastimoso, conducting parallel investigations is no stranger within NBI-7, especially when public interest is concerned. She cited that, in 2024, the bureau had also carried out a separate investigation into the hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of 23-year-old Jeslar Uriel Larumbe, who was on board his motorcycle while traversing the road in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.
For the Kingston tragic incident, Lastimoso said the investigation will look into multiple angles, including the establishment where Pajarillo was seen drinking and obviously intoxicated.
“We will look into all angles of the case and we’ll see what we can do because the special law is very different…We cannot generally say that they were responsible or they’re not responsible. It’s a bar, and you’d expect people to be drunk,” she said.
To further strengthen the investigation into the incident, the NBI-7 will also identify individuals who were with Pajarillo that night so that they can serve as witnesses in the case through their sworn statements.
| Written by Nicholas Jon Malaga/RAE
