Case Digest (A.M. No. MTJ-05-1610) Core Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
On July 15, 2011, at around 11:00 p.m., along the national highway in Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, the police, acting on a tip from a confidential informant, intercepted a bus (body No. 2646, plate No. KVP 988) bound for Cagayan de Oro. The informant had reported that a male passenger carrying a black-and-violet Lowe Alpine backpack was transporting dried marijuana from Cabanglasan, Bukidnon. Police Inspector Dominador Orate, Jr. and his team stopped the bus at a checkpoint set up in front of Police Station 6, boarded it, and found a man matching the description with the said backpack on his lap. Upon opening the bag, officers discovered a transparent cellophane containing 3,200 grams of dried marijuana leaves. The items were photographed, marked (“RCB-2” for the bag and “RCB-1” for its contents), and forwarded to the PNP Crime Laboratory, which confirmed the substance as marijuana in Chemistry Report No. D-253-2011. The accused, Renante Comprado y Bronola, pleaded not guilty a
Case Digest (A.M. No. MTJ-05-1610) Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
- Parties and Proceedings
- The People of the Philippines charged Renante Comprado y Bronola with violation of Section 11, Article II, R.A. No. 9165 for possession of 3,200 g of marijuana.
- RTC Branch 25, Misamis Oriental convicted him on April 18, 2013; the CA affirmed on May 19, 2014; appellant appealed to the Supreme Court (G.R. No. 213225).
- Narrative of Events
- On July 15, 2011, a confidential informant (CI) texted Police Insp. Dominador Orate Jr. that a marijuana courier and a female companion, carrying a black-violet “Lowe Alpine” backpack, would board Bus No. 2646 (KVP 988) from Bukidnon to Cagayan de Oro.
- Police set up a checkpoint at Police Station 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro. At 11:00 PM, they flagged down the bus, boarded it, and found appellant, matching the CI’s description, with the said backpack containing a transparent cellophane of dried marijuana leaves.
- Officers marked the bag “RCB-2” and its contents “RCB-1,” photographed them, and sent the specimen to PNP Crime Lab. Chemistry Report No. D-253-2011 confirmed marijuana weighing 3,200 g.
- Appellant denied knowledge or ownership of the bag, claiming he carried it as a favor and that his initial arrest occurred in Bukidnon; he and his girlfriend were taken to Cagayan de Oro and subjected to custodial investigation without counsel.
- Decisions Below
- The RTC found the uncorroborated defense untenable, held mere possession consummates the crime, and sentenced appellant to life imprisonment plus ₱500,000 fine.
- The CA affirmed, ruling appellant submitted to jurisdiction by failing to object pre-arraignment, treated the search under the moving-vehicle exception, and deemed inventory irregularities nonfatal to admissibility.
Issues:
- Whether appellant’s warrantless arrest was valid.
- Whether the seized items are admissible in evidence.
- Whether appellant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegal possession of marijuana.
Ruling:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Ratio:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Doctrine:
- (Subscriber-Only)