Case Digest (G.R. No. 242880)
Facts:
The People of the Philippines v. Quisar Arances Dadang a.k.a. "Manoy," G.R. No. 242880, January 22, 2020, Supreme Court First Division, Reyes, J. Jr., writing for the Court. The appellant is Quisar Arances Dadang (accused-appellant); the respondent is The People of the Philippines (plaintiff-appellee).On August 7, 2015, members of the Cagayan de Oro City Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as evidenced by a Certificate of Coordination, conducted a buy-bust operation based on information from a confidential informant (CI) that a person called "Manoy" (later identified as Dadang) was selling illegal drugs. PO3 Cyrus Baillo acted as poseur-buyer, SPO1 Rene Destura was the back-up officer, marked money (P1,000) was prepared, and other CAIDTF members served as security.
At about 5:30 p.m. the buy-bust team positioned itself at Jerggy’s Inn. The CI and PO3 Baillo went to Dadang’s second-floor room; Dadang opened the door, invited them in, and, after the CI expressed intent to buy and handed the marked P1,000 bill, allegedly gave a sachet containing white crystalline substance (0.1982 g) to the CI. The CI signaled by miscalling SPO1 Destura, who then entered with the team, announced their identity, and arrested Dadang. A search incident to arrest allegedly yielded another sachet (0.5449 g) and the marked money from Dadang’s pocket.
At the scene PO3 Baillo marked and inventoried the seized items (two heat-sealed sachets, improvised glass pipe, aluminum foil, lighter, weighing scale, and a gun), photographed them, and prepared inventory receipts; the inventory was witnessed by Barangay Kagawad Rommell Monte Pimentel and a media representative, while Dadang refused to sign the inventory receipts. The items and Dadang were brought to the crime laboratory the same evening; Forensic Chemist PSI Charite Peralta Caceres examined the specimens and, in Chemistry Report No. D-584-2015, found methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) in the two sachets and traces on the paraphernalia. The seized items were deposited with the evidence custodian and later identified in court by the chemist.
Dadang testified that there was no buy-bust, that he was surprised in his bathroom by men in civilian clothes who threatened and beat him, and that officers later in jail approached him about testimony or other matters. He denied ownership of the seized shabu and paraphernalia.
The Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 23, Cagayan de Oro City, convicted Dadang on March 28, 2017 of Illegal Sale (Section 5, Art. II, R.A. No. 9165), Illegal Possession of Dangerous Drugs (Section 11), and Illegal Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Section 12), and ordered confiscation and destruction of the seized sachets. Dadang appealed to the Court of Appeals–Cagayan de Oro, which in an August 30, 2018 decision (CA-G.R. CR HC No. 01670-MIN) affirmed the RTC in toto, finding the elements of the crimes proven and the chain of custody pres...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Did the prosecution prove beyond reasonable doubt that Dadang committed illegal sale, illegal possession of dangerous drugs, and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia under R.A. No. 9165?
- Was the chain of custody and the integrity of the seized items sufficiently preserved to admit the corpus delicti into evidence?
- Were the penalties imposed by the RTC proper, o...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
- (Pro-only)
Ratio:
- (Pro-only)
Doctrine:
- (Pro-only)