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Advocates Philippines
JV Ejercito Renews Push To Protect Innocent Drivers After LRT-1 Arrest
Screengrab from viral video online
Senator JV Ejercito has renewed his call for stronger legal protection for innocent motorists after another driver was reportedly arrested immediately following an unexpected incident near the LRT-1 Fernando Poe Jr. Station.
Ejercito criticized what he described as the automatic arrest and detention of the driver, saying the incident once again shows how motorists can be stripped of their constitutional presumption of innocence the moment an accident occurs.
He argued that law enforcers should not detain individuals who were not negligent or who were simply “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” According to the senator, the problem stems from a tendency to look for someone to blame quickly, even before a proper investigation is conducted.
Ejercito said repeated incidents like this pushed him to file Senate Bill No. 338, also known as the Defensive Driving Protection Act, which seeks to prevent unjust detention and arbitrary charges against drivers involved in accidents.
Under the measure, motorists who can present clear evidence—such as dashcam recordings, CCTV footage, or witness accounts—indicating that an incident was accidental or unavoidable should not be immediately jailed. Instead, authorities would be required to observe due process and evaluate evidence before imposing detention.
The senator emphasized that the goal is not to shield reckless motorists but to ensure fairness and protect victims of circumstances who may already be distressed by the accident itself.
He added that it is “high time to update policies that are clearly detrimental to the public,” stressing that outdated enforcement practices continue to put innocent drivers at risk of unnecessary legal and emotional burdens.
The recent LRT-1 incident has revived discussions on the need for clearer rules in handling road-related emergencies and ensuring motorists are treated fairly while investigations are underway.
Ejercito criticized what he described as the automatic arrest and detention of the driver, saying the incident once again shows how motorists can be stripped of their constitutional presumption of innocence the moment an accident occurs.
He argued that law enforcers should not detain individuals who were not negligent or who were simply “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” According to the senator, the problem stems from a tendency to look for someone to blame quickly, even before a proper investigation is conducted.
Ejercito said repeated incidents like this pushed him to file Senate Bill No. 338, also known as the Defensive Driving Protection Act, which seeks to prevent unjust detention and arbitrary charges against drivers involved in accidents.
Under the measure, motorists who can present clear evidence—such as dashcam recordings, CCTV footage, or witness accounts—indicating that an incident was accidental or unavoidable should not be immediately jailed. Instead, authorities would be required to observe due process and evaluate evidence before imposing detention.
The senator emphasized that the goal is not to shield reckless motorists but to ensure fairness and protect victims of circumstances who may already be distressed by the accident itself.
He added that it is “high time to update policies that are clearly detrimental to the public,” stressing that outdated enforcement practices continue to put innocent drivers at risk of unnecessary legal and emotional burdens.
The recent LRT-1 incident has revived discussions on the need for clearer rules in handling road-related emergencies and ensuring motorists are treated fairly while investigations are underway.
Feb 12, 2026
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