MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Nicolas Torre III will remain in his post for now as the Land Transportation Office investigates a vehicle linked to him that was caught using the EDSA Busway — a case that has expanded beyond a possible lane violation into questions over the SUV’s license plate, registration and ownership.
MMDA Chairman Romando “Don” Artes said Torre acknowledged that the vehicle captured on video traveling along the EDSA Busway on August 23, 2026 belonged to him.
Artes, however, said he could not independently confirm whether Torre himself was inside the vehicle when the video was taken. There is also no suspension order against the MMDA general manager while the investigation remains unresolved.
The original Bombo Radyo report said the investigation remains ongoing and that Torre surrendered the vehicle after the LTO issued a show-cause order.
The License Plate Is Now a Major Part of the Investigation
The controversy became more serious after investigators found that the license plate displayed on the Toyota Fortuner apparently did not match the vehicle’s registration.
According to GMA News and other reports, the plate attached to the SUV appeared to be registered to another MMDA vehicle. DZRH reported that authorities were specifically investigating why the SUV was carrying a red government plate associated with an MMDA vehicle.
The LTO subsequently issued a show-cause order and took custody of the SUV after Torre voluntarily surrendered it.
Daily Tribune reported that the assigned driver’s license was also suspended while the investigation was underway, and the driver and MMDA representatives were summoned to an LTO hearing on September 4.
The proceedings may examine possible violations involving disregarding traffic signs, improper use of number plates and alleged imitation or false representation involving vehicle plates. Those are possible administrative violations under investigation, not final findings of guilt.
Torre Earlier Called It an ‘Official MMDA Patrol Vehicle’
Another issue is the way the SUV has been described.
In an earlier social-media statement reported by Philstar, Torre called the vehicle an “official MMDA patrol vehicle” that he used while on duty.
Torre said he was performing official duties on August 23 and entered the busway while checking traffic conditions connected to roadworks near the EDSA-Guadalupe Bridge and responding to a stalled vehicle.
But Artes later clarified that the SUV was personally owned by Torre and was not an MMDA-owned vehicle, even though it carried MMDA markings.
That distinction has become one of the central questions surrounding the case.
Torre Says He Bought the SUV for ₱3.5 Million
In a fresh explanation reported on September 4, Torre said the armored SUV had been purchased through Facebook Marketplace for around ₱3.5 million.
According to Torre, he acquired the vehicle while he was Philippine National Police chief because he wanted additional security for himself and his family without relying heavily on escort vehicles.
He said the SUV was still registered under its previous owner, which he identified as Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church, and that the transfer of ownership was supposed to be processed alongside the vehicle’s registration renewal.
Torre also said he had only recently completed payment for the vehicle, partly using proceeds connected with his retirement benefits and borrowed funds. These details are Torre’s own account and remain separate from whatever findings the LTO eventually makes regarding the vehicle’s official registration records.
Torre Apologizes
As scrutiny intensified, Torre publicly apologized to people disappointed by the controversy.
He said he was “really, really sorry” and expressed hope that lessons would be learned from the incident. ABS-CBN also reported his public apology on September 4.
The apology does not end the administrative proceedings, however.
The LTO still has to determine what happened when the SUV entered the busway, who was legally responsible for operating it, why it carried a license plate apparently assigned to another vehicle, and whether any traffic or vehicle-registration rules were violated.
Why the Case Is Particularly Sensitive for the MMDA
The controversy carries added weight because the MMDA is one of Metro Manila’s principal traffic-enforcement agencies.
Only weeks earlier, Torre himself had taken a tough public position against an MMDA traffic enforcer caught counterflowing on the EDSA Busway. In July, Torre said the agency would pursue an administrative case for grave misconduct and would not tolerate what he described as a breach of internal discipline.
The two cases involve different circumstances and should not automatically be treated as legally equivalent. Still, Torre’s earlier insistence on accountability is likely to increase public scrutiny over how the government handles the investigation involving a vehicle linked directly to the agency’s own general manager.
LTO officials have likewise stressed that government vehicles and officials are not exempt from traffic regulations and that responsibility will be determined if investigators establish violations.
Torre Staying at MMDA — For Now
Despite the controversy, Artes said Torre will continue performing his duties because no suspension order has been issued and the investigation has not produced a final resolution.
The MMDA chairman said the agency would leave the investigation to the LTO to ensure an impartial determination of the facts.
The SUV, meanwhile, has been surrendered to authorities as the administrative process continues.
And that means the most important question is no longer simply why an MMDA-marked SUV entered the EDSA Busway.
Investigators now have to establish how a privately acquired vehicle came to carry MMDA markings and a government plate apparently registered to another vehicle — and who authorized it.
Until the LTO releases its final findings, that question remains unanswered.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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