Facts:

• Marivic Cohayco y Revil, also known as "Kakang," was charged with illegal sale of dangerous drugs under Republic Act No. 9165.
• The incident occurred on March 19, 2014, during a buy-bust operation by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in a known drug activity area.
• PDEA operatives recovered one large sachet containing ten smaller sachets of a white crystalline substance, later confirmed as methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).
• Following her arrest, the seized items were marked, inventoried, and photographed at the PDEA Satellite Office in the presence of barangay officials and media.
• Cohayco denied the charges, claiming she was searching for her son and was forcibly taken by two men on a motorcycle.
• She asserted that nothing was found on her during the police station search and was unaware of the document signed by a barangay official.
• The Regional Trial Court (RTC) found her guilty on July 27, 2016, sentencing her to life imprisonment and a fine of P500,000.
• Cohayco appealed to the Court of Appeals (CA), which affirmed her conviction on April 24, 2018.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court granted the appeal, reversed the CA's decision, and acquitted Marivic Cohayco y Revil of the charges.
• The Court determined that the prosecution failed to establis...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court highlighted that establishing the identity of the drug with moral certainty is essential in cases of illegal sale and possession of dangerous drugs.
• The integrity of evidence must be maintained through a proper chain of custody, which includes immediate marking, inventory, and photography of seized items in the presence of the accused and required witnesses.
• The absence of a DOJ representative during th...continue reading