MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Nicolas Torre III has taken a one-month leave from public office amid mounting scrutiny over the use of his privately owned SUV on the EDSA Busway and a series of vehicle violations uncovered by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Torre’s leave took effect on September 8, 2026. MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said Torre voluntarily requested the leave after the controversy intensified, while The Philippine Star reported that Torre had also indicated he was considering retiring from public service. The leave is reportedly unpaid.
The development marks a major turn in a controversy that began after video footage showed an SUV using the restricted EDSA Busway.
From traffic shortcut to a wider investigation
Torre previously acknowledged that he was inside the vehicle when it traveled along the busway, although he said he was not driving.
He initially explained that the vehicle was being used for official traffic-monitoring purposes. However, the LTO’s subsequent investigation uncovered additional issues involving the vehicle, including plate irregularities, unauthorized markings and equipment, and the use of a blinker.
The LTO determined that the SUV was registered as a private vehicle, while the plate attached to it did not correspond with the vehicle’s registration records. The vehicle was also fitted with MMDA-related markings and equipment that could make it appear to be an official agency patrol vehicle.
The SUV remains under LTO custody as the investigation continues, with authorities ordering the removal of the MMDA markings, siren and blinker.
Torre paid ₱14,000 in fines
The controversy expanded after the LTO cited multiple traffic violations connected to the vehicle.
Torre paid ₱14,000 in fines, with reports identifying violations involving unauthorized use of the EDSA Busway, license-plate tampering and unauthorized vehicle equipment.
The LTO also revoked the driver’s license of the person who operated the SUV.
Torre later apologized publicly for the incident and acknowledged that the vehicle was his. In an earlier explanation reported by The Philippine Star, he said he had customized the vehicle for operational purposes and admitted that using a plate copied from an unused MMDA vehicle was a mistake.
Why the EDSA Busway issue matters
The EDSA Busway is not an ordinary traffic lane.
The dedicated corridor operates around the clock and serves approximately 177,000 commuters daily, according to GMA News. Authorized users include EDSA Busway buses, on-duty ambulances and fire trucks, Philippine National Police vehicles, certain service vehicles, and vehicles of specified top government officials.
MMDA and transportation officials have repeatedly stressed that unauthorized vehicles are not permitted to use the restricted lane.
For ordinary motorists, penalties for illegal busway use can escalate from a ₱5,000 first-offense fine to higher fines and license suspensions for repeat violations.
That makes the controversy particularly sensitive because the agency headed by Torre is itself responsible for enforcing traffic rules across Metro Manila.
MMDA says Torre was not suspended
An important distinction is that Torre’s leave should not be described as a suspension.
Artes explained that Torre is a presidential appointee and that the traffic-related investigation is being handled by the LTO. The MMDA therefore opted to await the LTO’s findings rather than impose a preventive suspension.
The MMDA has nevertheless emphasized that government officials are not exempt from traffic laws.
“No official, regardless of position or rank, is exempt from traffic laws and policies,” Artes said, while reiterating the agency’s commitment to traffic enforcement and public accountability.
What happens next?
The immediate focus is now on the LTO investigation and whatever administrative consequences may follow.
Torre’s one-month leave also creates a second question: Will he return to the MMDA after the leave expires?
According to The Philippine Star, Torre told Artes that he was considering retirement from public service. Artes subsequently agreed to the one-month leave to give him time to reflect on what he wants to do next.
For now, however, no final retirement decision has been announced.
The MMDA says its operations will continue despite Torre’s absence, while the LTO investigation proceeds separately.
The bigger issue: accountability
The controversy has evolved beyond a single vehicle being caught in a restricted lane.
It now involves questions about government markings on a privately owned vehicle, an allegedly mismatched plate, unauthorized equipment and the standards expected from officials responsible for enforcing traffic regulations.
The facts established by authorities will ultimately determine what additional action, if any, is warranted.
But politically and publicly, Torre’s decision to step away for a month has already changed the trajectory of the controversy.
The EDSA Busway incident began with an SUV entering a restricted lane. It has now grown into an LTO investigation, a ₱14,000 penalty, a revoked driver’s license and a one-month leave for the MMDA’s top executive — with Torre’s possible retirement now part of the story.
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