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21 Alain Manalili Vs CA
21 Alain Manalili Vs CA
DECISION
PANGANIBAN, J.:
When dealing with a rapidly unfolding and potentially criminal situation in the city streets where unarguably there is no time to secure
an arrest or a search warrant, policemen should employ limited, flexible responses -- like stop-and-frisk -- which are graduated in
relation to the amount of information they possess, the lawmen being ever vigilant to respect and not to violate or to treat cavalierly
the citizens constitutional rights against unreasonable arrest, search and seizure.
The Case
This rule is reiterated as we resolve this petition for review on certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court, seeking the reversal of
the Decision of the Court of Appeals dated April 19, 1993 and its Resolution dated January 20, 1994 in CA G.R. CR No. 07266,
entitled People of the Philippines vs. Alain Manalili y Dizon.
In an Information dated April 11, 1988,i[1] Petitioner Alain Manalili y Dizon was charged by Assistant Caloocan City Fiscal E. Juan R.
Bautista with violation of Section 8, Article II of Republic Act No. 6425, allegedly committed as follows: ii[2]
That on or about the 11th day of April 1988 in Caloocan City, MM, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the
above-named accused without any authority of law, did then and there wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously have in his custody,
possession and control crushed marijuana residue, which is a prohibited drug and knowing the same to be such.
Contrary to Law.
Upon his arraignment on April 21, 1988, appellant pleaded not guilty to the charge.iii[3] With the agreement of the public prosecutor,
appellant was released after filing a P10,000.00 bail bond.iv[4] After trial in due course, the Regional Trial Court of Caloocan City,
Branch 124, acting as a Special Criminal Court, rendered on May 19, 1989 a decisionv[5] convicting appellant of illegal possession of
marijuana residue. The dispositive portion of the decision reads: vi[6]
WHEREFORE, in view of all the foregoing, this Court finds the accused ALAIN MANALILI Y DIZON guilty beyond reasonable
doubt of violation of Section 8, Article II, of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended (Illegal Possession of Marijuana residue), and hereby
snetences (sic) said accused to suffer imprisonment of SIX (6) YEARS and ONE (1) DAY; and to pay a fine of P6,000.00; and to pay
the costs.
Appellant remained on provisional liberty.vii[7] Atty. Benjamin Razon, counsel for the defense, filed a Notice of Appeal viii[8] dated
May 31, 1989. On April 19, 1993, Respondent Courtix[9] promulgated its assailed Decision, denying the appeal and affirming the trial
court:x[10]
ACCORDINGLY, the decision appealed from dated May 19, 1989 is hereby AFFIRMED in all respects. Costs against appellant.
Respondent Courtxi[11] denied reconsideration via its assailed Resolution dated January 20, 1994, disposing:
The Facts
Version of the Prosecution
At about 2:10 oclock in the afternoon of April 11, 1988, policemen from the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Kalookan City Police Station
were conducting a surveillance along A. Mabini street, Kalookan City, in front of the Kalookan City Cemetery. The policemen were
Pat. Romeo Espiritu and Pat. Anger Lumabas and a driver named Arnold Enriquez was driving a Tamaraw vehicle which was the
official car of the Police Station of Kalookan City. The surveillance was being made because of information that drug addicts were
roaming the area in front of the Kalookan City Cemetery.
Upon reaching the Kalookan City Cemetery, the policemen alighted from their vehicle. They then chanced upon a male person in front
of the cemetery who appeared high on drugs. The male person was observed to have reddish eyes and to be walking in a swaying
manner. When this male person tried to avoid the policemen, the latter approached him and introduced themselves as police officers.
The policemen then asked the male person what he was holding in his hands. The male person tried to resist. Pat. Romeo Espiritu
asked the male person if he could see what said male person had in his hands. The latter showed the wallet and allowed Pat. Romeo
Espiritu to examine the same. Pat. Espiritu took the wallet and examined it. He found suspected crushed marijuana residue inside. He
kept the wallet and its marijuana contents.
The male person was then brought to the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Kalookan City Police Headquarters and was turned over to Cpl.
Wilfredo Tamondong for investigation. Pat. Espiritu also turned over to Cpl. Tamondong the confiscated wallet and its suspected
marijuana contents. The man turned out to be the accused ALAIN MANALILI y DIZON.
Upon receipt of the confiscated suspected marijuana residue from Pat. Espiritu, Cpl. Tamondong wrapped the same with a white sheet
of paper on which he wrote Evidence A 4/11/88 Alain Manalili. The white sheet of paper was marked as Exhibit E-3. The residue was
originally wrapped in a smaller sheet of folded paper. (Exhibit E-4).
Cpl. Tamondong next prepared a referral slip addressed to the NBI Forensic Chemistry Section requesting a chemical analysis of the
subject marijuana residue (Exhibit D). Cpl. Tamondong thereafter prepared a Joint Affidavit of the apprehending policemen (Exhibit
A). Pat. Angel Lumabas handcarried the referral slip (Exhibit D) to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), including the subject
marijuana residue for chemical analysis. The signature of Pat. Lumabas appears on the left bottom corner of Exhibit D.
The Forensic Chemistry Section of the NBI received the aforesaid referral slip and the subject marijuana residue at 7:40 oclock in the
evening of April 11, 1988 as shown on the stamped portion of Exhibit D.
It was NBI Aida Pascual who conducted the microscopic and chemical examinations of the specimen which she identified. (Exhibit
E)xiii[13] Mrs. Pascual referred to the subject specimen as crushed marijuana leaves in her Certification dated April 11, 1988 (Exhibit
F).xiv[14] These crushed marijuana leaves gave positive results for marijuana, according to the Certificate.
Mrs. Pascual also conducted a chromatographic examination of the specimen. In this examination, she also found that the crushed
marijuana leaves gave positive results for marijuana. She then prepared a Final Report of her examinations (Exhibit G).
After conducting the examinations, Ms. Pascual placed the specimen in a white letter-envelope and sealed it. (Exhibit E). She then
wrote identification notes on this letter-envelope. (Exhibit E-1).
Pat. Lumabas carried the Certification marked as Exhibit F from the NBI Forensic Chemistry Section to Cpl. Tamondong. Upon
receipt thereof, Cpl. Tamondong prepared a referral slip addressed to the City Fiscal of Kalookan City. (Exhibit C)
On rebuttal, Pat. Espiritu testified that appellant was not riding a tricycle but was walking in front of the cemetery when he was
apprehended.xv[15]
The trial court summarized the testimonies of the defense witnesses as follows: xvi[16]
At about 2:00 oclock in the afternoon of April 11, 1988, the accused ALAIN MANALILI was aboard a tricycle at A. Mabini street
near the Kalookan City Cemetery on the way to his boarding house. Three policemen ordered the driver of the tricycle to stop because
the tricycle driver and his lone passenger were under the influence of marijuana. The policemen brought the accused and the tricycle
driver inside the Ford Fiera which the policemen were riding in. The policemen then bodily searched the accused and the tricycle
driver. At this point, the accused asked the policemen why he was being searched and the policemen replied that he (accused) was
carrying marijuana. However, nothing was found on the persons of the accused and the driver. The policemen allowed the tricycle
driver to go while they brought the accused to the police headquarters at Kalookan City where they said they would again search the
accused.
On the way to the police headquarters, the accused saw a neighbor and signaled the latter to follow him. The neighbor thus followed
the accused to the Kalookan City Police Headquarters. Upon arrival thereat, the accused was asked to remove his pants in the presence
of said neighbor and another companion. The policemen turned over the pants of the accused over a piece of bond paper trying to look
for marijuana. However, nothing was found, except for some dirt and dust. This prompted the companion of the neighbor of the
accused to tell the policemen to release the accused. The accused was led to a cell. The policemen later told the accused that they
found marijuana inside the pockets of his pants.
At about 5:00 oclock in the afternoon on the same day, the accused was brought outside the cell and was led to the Ford Fiera. The
accused was told by the policemen to call his parents in order to settle the case. The policemen who led the accused to the Ford Fiera
were Pat. Lumabas, Pat. Espiritu and Cpl. Tamondong. Pat. Lumabas was the policeman who told the accused to call his parents. The
accused did not call his parents and he told the policemen that his parents did not have any telephone.
At about 5:30 oclock in the afternoon of the same day, the accused was brought in the office of an inquest Fiscal. There, the accused
told the Fiscal that no marijuana was found on his person but the Fiscal told the accused not to say anything. The accused was then
brought back to the Kalookan City Jail.
Loreto Medenilla, the tricycle driver who was allegedly with the accused when he and the accused were stopped by policemen and
then bodily searched on April 11, 1988, testified. He said that the policemen found nothing either on his person or on the person of the
accused when both were searched on April 11, 1988.
Roberto Abes, a neighbor of the accused, testified that he followed the accused at the Kalookan City Police Headquarters on April 11,
1988. He said that the police searched the accused who was made to take off his pants at the police headquarters but no marijuana was
found on the body of the accused.
Appellant, who was recalled to the stand as sur-rebuttal witness, presented several pictures showing that tricycles were allowed to ply
in front of the Caloocan Cemetery.xvii[17]
The trial court disbelieved appellants defense that this charge was merely trumped up, because the appellant neither took any legal
action against the allegedly erring policemen nor moved for a reinvestigation before the city fiscal of Kalookan City.
On appeal, Respondent Court found no proof that the decision of the trial court was based on speculations, surmises or conjectures. On
the alleged serious discrepancies in the testimonies of the arresting officers, the appellate court ruled that the said inconsistencies were
insubstantial to impair the essential veracity of the narration. It further found petitioners contention -- that he could not be convicted of
illegal possession of marijuana residue -- to be without merit, because the forensic chemist reported that what she examined were
marijuana leaves.
Issues
The Court of Appeals erred in upholding the findings of fact of the trial court.
II
The Court of Appeals erred in upholding the conviction of (the) accused (and) in ruling that the guilt of the accused had been
proved (beyond) reasonable doubt.
III
The Court of Appeals erred in not ruling that the inconsistencies in the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were material
and substantial and not minor.
IV
The Court of Appeals erred in not appreciating the evidence that the accused was framed for the purpose of extorting money.
The Court of Appeals erred in not acquitting the accused when the evidence presented is consistent with both innocence and
guilt.
VI
The Court of Appeals erred in admitting the evidence of the prosecution which are inadmissible in evidence.
Restated more concisely, petitioner questions (1) the admissibility of the evidence against him, (2) the credibility of prosecution
witnesses and the rejection by the trial and the appellate courts of the defense of extortion, and (3) the sufficiency of the prosecution
evidence to sustain his conviction.
Petitioner protests the admission of the marijuana leaves found in his possession, contending that they were products of an illegal
search. The Solicitor General, in his Comment, dated July 5, 1994, which was adopted as memorandum for respondent, counters that
the inadmissibility of the marijuana leaves was waived because petitioner never raised this issue in the proceedings below nor did he
object to their admissibility in evidence. He adds that, even assuming arguendo that there was no waiver, the search was legal because
it was incidental to a warrantless arrest under Section 5 (a), Rule 113 of the Rules of Court.
We disagree with petitioner and hold that the search was valid, being akin to a stop-and-frisk. In the landmark case of Terry vs.
Ohio,xviii[18] a stop-and-frisk was defined as the vernacular designation of the right of a police officer to stop a citizen on the street,
interrogate him, and pat him for weapon(s):
x x x (W)here a police officer observes an unusual conduct which leads him reasonably to conclude in light of his experience that
criminal activity may be afoot and that the persons with whom he is dealing may be armed and presently dangerous, where in the
course of investigating this behavior he identified himself as a policeman and makes reasonable inquiries, and where nothing in the
initial stages of the encounter serves to dispel his reasonable fear for his own or others safety, he is entitled for the protection of
himself and others in the area to conduct a carefully limited search of the outer clothing of such persons in an attempt to discover
weapons which might be used to assault him. Such a search is a reasonable search under the Fourth Amendment, and any weapon
seized may properly be introduced in evidence against the person from whom they were taken.xix[19]
In allowing such a search, the United States Supreme Court held that the interest of effective crime prevention and detection allows a
police officer to approach a person, in appropriate circumstances and manner, for purposes of investigating possible criminal behavior
even though there is insufficient probable cause to make an actual arrest. This was the legitimate investigative function which Officer
McFadden discharged in that case, when he approached petitioner and his companion whom he observed to have hovered alternately
about a street corner for an extended period of time, while not waiting for anyone; paused to stare in the same store window roughly
24 times; and conferred with a third person. It would have been sloppy police work for an officer of 30 years experience to have failed
to investigate this behavior further.
In admitting in evidence two guns seized during the stop-and-frisk, the US Supreme Court held that what justified the limited search
was the more immediate interest of the police officer in taking steps to assure himself that the person with whom he was dealing was
not armed with a weapon that could unexpectedly and fatally be used against him.
It did not, however, abandon the rule that the police must, whenever practicable, obtain advance judicial approval of searches and
seizures through the warrant procedure, excused only by exigent circumstances.
In Philippine jurisprudence, the general rule is that a search and seizure must be validated by a previously secured judicial warrant;
otherwise, such search and seizure is unconstitutional and subject to challenge. xx[20] Section 2, Article III of the 1987 Constitution,
gives this guarantee:
SEC. 2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of
whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable
cause to be determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he
may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
Any evidence obtained in violation of the mentioned provision is legally inadmissible in evidence as a fruit of the poisonous tree,
falling under the exclusionary rule:
SEC. 3. x x x
(2) Any evidence obtained in violation of x x x the preceding section shall be inadmissible for any purpose in any proceeding.
This right, however, is not absolute.xxi[21] The recent case of People vs. Lacerna enumerated five recognized exceptions to the rule
against warrantless search and seizure, viz.: (1) search incidental to a lawful arrest, (2) search of moving vehicles, (3) seizure in plain
view, (4) customs search, and (5) waiver by the accused themselves of their right against unreasonable search and seizure. xxii[22] In
People vs. Encinada,xxiii[23] the Court further explained that [i]n these cases, the search and seizure may be made only with probable
cause as the essential requirement. Although the term eludes exact definition, probable cause for a search is, at best, defined as a
reasonable ground of suspicion, supported by circumstances sufficiently strong in themselves to warrant a cautious man in the belief
that the person accused is guilty of the offense with which he is charged; or the existence of such facts and circumstances which could
lead a reasonably discreet and prudent man to believe that an offense has been committed and that the item(s), article(s) or object(s)
sought in connection with said offense or subject to seizure and destruction by law is in the place to be searched.
Stop-and-frisk has already been adopted as another exception to the general rule against a search without a warrant. In Posadas vs.
Court of Appeals ,xxiv[24] the Court held that there are many instances where a search and seizure can be effected without necessarily
being preceded by an arrest, one of which is stop-and-frisk. In said case, members of the Integrated National Police of Davao stopped
petitioner, who was carrying a buri bag and acting suspiciously. They found inside petitioners bag one .38-cal. revolver with two
rounds of live ammunition, two live ammunitions for a .22-cal. gun and a tear gas grenade. In upholding the legality of the search, the
Court said that to require the police officers to search the bag only after they had obtained a search warrant might prove to be useless,
futile and much too late under the circumstances. In such a situation, it was reasonable for a police officer to stop a suspicious
individual briefly in order to determine his identity or to maintain the status quo while obtaining more information, rather than to
simply shrug his shoulders and allow a crime to occur.
In the case at hand, Patrolman Espiritu and his companions observed during their surveillance that appellant had red eyes and was
wobbling like a drunk along the Caloocan City Cemetery, which according to police information was a popular hangout of drug
addicts. From his experience as a member of the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Caloocan City Police, such suspicious behavior was
characteristic of drug addicts who were high. The policemen therefore had sufficient reason to stop petitioner to investigate if he was
actually high on drugs. During such investigation, they found marijuana in petitioners possession: xxv[25]
FISCAL RALAR:
Q And why were you conducting surveillance in front of the Caloocan Cemetery, Sangandaan, Caloocan City?
A Because there were some informations that some drug dependents were roaming around at A. Mabini Street in front of the
Caloocan Cemetery, Caloocan City.
A We chanced upon one male person there in front of the Caloocan Cemetery then when we called his attention, he tried to
avoid us, then prompting us to approach him and introduce ourselves as police officers in a polite manner.
Q Could you describe to us the appearance of that person when you chanced upon him?
Q How were you able to say Mr. Witness that that person that you chanced upon was high on drug?
A Because his eyes were red and he was walking on a swaying manner.
Q You said that he avoided you, what did you do when he avoided you?
A We approached him and introduced ourselves as police officers in a polite manner, sir.
Q And what was the reaction of the person when you asked him what he was holding in his hands?
A I requested him if I can see what was he was(sic) holding in his hands.
A He was holding his wallet and when we opened it, there was a marijuana (sic) crushed residue.
Furthermore, we concur with the Solicitor Generals contention that petitioner effectively waived the inadmissibility of any evidence
illegally obtained when he failed to raise this issue or to object thereto during the trial. A valid waiver of a right, more particularly of
the constitutional right against unreasonable search, requires the concurrence of the following requirements: (1) the right to be waived
existed; (2) the person waiving it had knowledge, actual or constructive, thereof; and (3) he or she had an actual intention to relinquish
the right.xxvi[26] Otherwise, the Courts will indulge every reasonable presumption against waiver of fundamental safeguards and will
not deduce acquiescence from the failure to exercise this elementary right. In the present case, however, petitioner is deemed to have
waived such right for his failure to raise its violation before the trial court. In petitions under Rule 45, as distinguished from an
ordinary appeal of criminal cases where the whole case is opened for review, the appeal is generally limited to the errors assigned by
petitioner. Issues not raised below cannot be pleaded for the first time on appeal. xxvii[27]
Petitioner also contends that the two arresting officers testimony contained polluted, irreconcilable and unexplained contradictions
which did not support petitioners conviction.
We disagree. Time and again, this Court has ruled that the trial courts assessment of the credibility of witnesses, particularly when
affirmed by the Court of Appeals as in this case, is accorded great weight and respect, since it had the opportunity to observe their
demeanor and deportment as they testified before it. Unless substantial facts and circumstances have been overlooked or
misappreciated by the trial court which, if considered, would materially affect the result of the case, we will not countenance a
departure from this rule.xxviii[28]
(e)ven assuming as contended by appellant that there had been some inconsistencies in the prosecution witnesses testimonies, We do
not find them substantial enough to impair the essential veracity of their narration. In People vs. Avila, it was held that As long as the
witnesses concur on the material points, slight differences in their remembrance of the details, do not reflect on the essential veracity
of their statements.
However, we find that, aside from the presumption of regularity in the performance of duty, the bestowal of full credence on Pat.
Espiritus testimony is justified by tangible evidence on record. Despite Pat. Lumabas contradictory testimony, that of Espiritu is
supported by the Joint Affidavitxxix[29] signed by both arresting policemen. The question of whether the marijuana was found inside
petitioners wallet or inside a plastic bag is immaterial, considering that petitioner did not deny possession of said substance. Failure to
present the wallet in evidence did not negate that marijuana was found in petitioners possession. This shows that such contradiction is
minor, and does not destroy Espiritus credibility.xxx[30]
The elements of illegal possession of marijuana are: (a) the accused is in possession of an item or object which is identified to be a
prohibited drug; (b) such possession is not authorized by law; and (c) the accused freely and consciously possessed the said drug. xxxi
[31]
The substance found in petitioners possession was identified by NBI Forensic Chemist Aida Pascual to be crushed marijuana leaves.
Petitioners lack of authority to possess these leaves was established. His awareness thereof was undeniable, considering that petitioner
was high on drugs when stopped by the policemen and that he resisted when asked to show and identify the thing he was holding.
Such behavior clearly shows that petitioner knew that he was holding marijuana and that it was prohibited by law.
Furthermore, like the trial and the appellate courts, we have not been given sufficient grounds to believe the extortion angle in this
case. Petitioner did not file any administrative or criminal case against the arresting officers or present any evidence, other than his
bare claim. His argument that he feared for his life was lame and unbelievable, considering that he was released on bail and continued
to be on bail as early as April 26, 1988.xxxii[32] Since then, he could have made the charge in relative safety, as he was no longer in the
custody of the police. His defense of frame-up, like alibi, is viewed by this Court with disfavor, because it is easy to concoct and
fabricate.xxxiii[33]
The trial and the appellate courts overlooked the Indeterminate Sentence Law (Act No. 4103, as amended) by sentencing petitioner to
a straight penalty of six years and one day of imprisonment, aside from the imposed fine of six thousand pesos. This Act requires the
imposition of an indeterminate penalty:
SECTION 1. Hereafter, in imposing a prison sentence for an offense punished by the Revised Penal Code, or its amendments, the
court shall sentence the accused to an indeterminate sentence the maximum term of which shall be that which, in view of the attending
circumstances, could be properly imposed under the rules of the said Code, and the minimum which shall be within the range of the
penalty next lower to that prescribed by the Code for the offense; and if the offense is punished by any other law, the court shall
sentence the accused to an indeterminate sentence, the maximum term of which shall not exceed the maximum fixed by said law and
the minimum shall not be less than the minimum term prescribed by the same. (As amended by Act No. 4225.)
SEC. 2. This Act shall not apply to persons convicted of offenses punished with death penalty or life-imprisonment; to those convicted
of treason; to those convicted of misprision of treason, rebellion, sedition or espionage; to those convicted of piracy; to those who are
habitual delinquents; to those who shall have escaped from confinement or evaded sentence; to those who having been granted
conditional pardon by the Chief Executive shall have violated the terms thereof; to those whose maximum term of imprisonment does
not exceed one year, not to those already sentenced by final judgment at the time of approval of this Act, except as provided in Section
5 hereof. (Underscoring supplied)
The Dangerous Drugs Law, R.A. 6425, as amended by B.P. 179, imposes the following penalty for illegal possession of marijuana:
Sec. 8. x x x x
The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six years and one day to twelve years and a fine ranging from six thousand to twelve
thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall possess or use Indian hemp.
Prescinding from the foregoing, the Court holds that the proper penalty is an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment ranging from six
years and one day to twelve years.xxxiv[34]
WHEREFORE, the assailed Decision and Resolution are hereby AFFIRMED with MODIFICATION. Petitioner is sentenced to suffer
IMPRISONMENT of SIX (6) YEARS, as minimum, to TWELVE (12) YEARS, as maximum, and to PAY a FINE of SIX THOUSAND
PESOS. Costs against petitioner.
SO ORDERED.
Narvasa, C.J., (Chairman), Romero, Melo, and Francisco, JJ., concur.
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