MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Nicolas Torre III clarified Thursday that while filing a case regarding the recent LRT-1 tragedy was mandatory, the specific legal procedure remained at the discretion of the police. The clarification came after public questions arose over the Feb. 11, 2026 incident at the Fernando Poe Jr. station, where a 23-year-old student jumped from an elevated portion of the station and was subsequently struck by a passing black sedan. The Quezon City Police District initially subjected the driver to inquest proceedings to determine probable cause. “Filing of the case is mandatory because there are parents who are crying, BUT the manner of filing is at the discretion of the PNP (Philippine National Police) investigator,” Torre stated in a Facebook post on Thursday evening. Torre outlined the two primary legal paths available to investigators, starting with a regular filing. This triggers a preliminary investigation by a prosecutor and does not involve an immediate arrest; instead, both parties are required to submit affidavits and supporting evidence within a specific timeframe. He added that alternatively, the driver could face inquest proceedings, which is a summary investigation conducted by a public prosecutor for cases involving warrantless arrests to determine whether the person should remain in custody and if formal charges should be filed in court.