CEBU, Philippines – In the early hours of Sunday, February 8, an intoxicated Sean Andrew Pajarillo, 21, drove his Toyota Innova along the Paseo Saturnino Road in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

At first, Pajarillo hit a parked vehicle. At that point, the intoxicated driver would have had two choices: (1) do the right thing and surrender himself to authorities for driving under the influence and reckless imprudence resulting in property damage, or (2) run.

The driver chose the latter.

In his attempt to escape, Pajarillo killed 23-year-old Kingston Ralph Cheng while speeding. Cheng was walking near a local restobar along Paseo Saturnino.

The drunk 21-year-old proceeded to drive off to Paseo Rodulfo road within the Maria Luisa subdivision in Barangay Banilad. This is where Pajarillo lost control of his vehicle.

The vehicle swerved and laid on its left side.

Cheng was immediately brought to the hospital after the incident but died thereafter. Pajarillo is currently under hospital arrest and is expected to face criminal charges.

This incident in Cebu has brought out numerous debates over the “ineffective” implementation of alcohol tests for drivers, questionable road safety in the highly urbanized cities of the province, and lack of pedestrian infrastructure.

Public outcry

Many Cebuanos, including public officials, aired their sentiments and frustrations over what happened to Cheng after the fatal incident.

Kathryn Sienna, a Cebu-based food vlogger, shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday, February 11, that they were among the first few people to find the vehicle that took Cheng’s life on February 8. 

“I still can’t believe how his life was easily cut short and ripped away from him in a blink of a second… No amount of condolences will be able to heal his family’s heart,” her post read.

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro also called for justice for Cheng, in a social media post on Tuesday, February 10.

“I have directed our police authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation and to pursue appropriate charges under the law,” Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said in his statement on February 10.

Cheng was a beloved entrepreneur and talented violinist. He was the owner of Mill Lifestyle Café and a member of the String Edition Orchestra.

“He would light up with a big smile if you asked him to play music with you,” Marc Mercado, the leader of the orchestra group said in a Facebook post.

During a gathering at his wake, the String Edition Orchestra paid tribute to their dear friend.

Gaps in alcohol testing

CCTV footage from an establishment on February 8 released to local news outlets revealed that Pajarillo was visibly stumbling and had an irregular pacing on his way to his vehicle moments before the hit-and-run.

More footage spread on social media showed that he was partying at a bar in the late hours of February 7, and was seen being chased by a security guard after crashing his vehicle along Paseo Rodulfo road.

At his father’s request, Pajarillo was brought to a hospital in Mandaue City at around 12:50 am on February 8, where he was placed in a private room. Authorities requested hospital officials to conduct an alcohol and drug test on Pajarillo.

More than half a day had passed before Pajarillo was brought to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) as the Mandaue hospital lacked equipment to detect traces of alcohol in patients.

Only at CCMC did doctors finally conduct the test which resulted in Pajarillo coming out negative for alcohol intoxication.

In a SunStar Cebu article dated February 11, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jose Los Baños said that the transfer from one hospital to the other and medical protocols caused the delay in administering the liquor test.

However, Archival said, as quoted in the same SunStar Cebu article, that both hospitals did not have the equipment to detect alcohol equipment, pushing doctors to rely on physical observation of the patient rather than detection tools.

“The doctor said the suspect was coherent and able to talk properly, but that was already after 12 hours. The certification came from the doctor, not the police,” the mayor said.

Seeking accountability

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), in a statement on February 11, highlighted the urgent need for strengthening accountability, road safety and protection of human life in light of the recent tragedy.

“Too many road accidents continue to result in the loss of lives, limbs, and property, leaving lasting harm on families, communities, and livelihoods,” they said.

Data from the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) showed that in the first quarter of 2025, there were 1,988 road accidents in Cebu City — an estimated 12% jump from the 1,776 in the first quarter of 2024.

The CCCI called on the government to initiate actions to reclaim sidewalks and public walkways for their intended purpose. 

“Sidewalks are not optional or secondary spaces; they are essential safety infrastructure. Clear, accessible, and unobstructed sidewalks protect lives, reduce risk, and prevent pedestrians from being forced onto dangerous roadways,” the CCCI added.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Councilor Harold Go announced on Thursday, February 12 that he would pursue an ordinance, entitled the Kingston Ralph Ordinance, that would hold establishments accountable when they serve to already intoxicated individuals who may later cause injury, death, or property damage.

As of this writing, the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas has issued a show cause order against Pajarillo and suspended his driver’s license.

According to the TEU, the intoxicated driver was unable to present his license and registration documents of his vehicle when he was apprehended.

While still under hospital arrest due to his injuries, Pajarillo will be facing a case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property. 

On February 13, Friday, he posted bail amounting to P72,000 at the Cebu City Regional Trial Court for his case. Pajarillo’s lawyer, Julito Añora Jr., told the media that the accused will have his day in court. – Rappler.com