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Myla Ruth N. Sara
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. MO LINA
FACTS: Sometime in June 1996, SPO1 Paguidopon received an
information regardingthe presence of an allegedmarijuana pusher in
Davao City. His informer pointed to the motorcycle driver,
accused-appellant Mula, as the pusher. As toaccused-appellant
Molina, SPO1 Paguidopon had no occasion to see him before
thearrest. Moreover, the names and addressesof the
accused-appellants came to the knowledge of SPO1 Paguidopon only
after they were arrested. In the morning of August 8,1996, SPO1
Paguidopon received an information that the alleged pusher will be
passing at NHA, Ma-a, Davao City. He called forassistance at the
PNP proceed to the house of SPO1 Marino Paguidopon where theywould
wait for the alleged pusher to pass by.At around 9:30 in the
morning of August 8, 1996, a trisikadcarrying the
accused-appellants passed by. At that instance, SPO1Paguidopon
pointed to the accused-appellants as the pushers. The police
officersthen ordered the trisikadto stop. SPO1Pamplona introduced
himself as a police officer and asked accused-appellant Molina to
open the bag. Molina replied, Boss, ifpossible we will settle
this.SPO1 Pamplona insisted on opening the bag, which re
vealed dried marijuana leaves inside.Thereafter,
accused-appellants Mula and Molina were handcuffed by the police
officers.
Accused-appellants contended that the marijuana allegedly seized
from them is inadmissible as evidence for having beenobtained in
violation of their constitutional right against unreasonable
searches and seizures.
ISSUE: W/N THE MARIJUANA IS INADMISSIBLE IN EVIDENCE FOR HAVING
BEEN SEIZED IN VIOLATION OF APPELLANTSCONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AGAINST
UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES
HELD: The fundamental law of the land mandates that searches and
seizures be carried out in a reasonable fashion. TheConstitution
provides: SEC. 2. The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects againstunreasonable searches
and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shallbe
inviolable, and no search warrant orwarrant of arrest shall issue
except upon probable cause to be determined personally by the judge
after examination under oathor affirmation of the complainant and
the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place
to be searched andthe persons or things to be seized.i
Search and seizure may be made without a warrant and the
evidence obtained there
from may be admissible in thefollowing instances: (1) search
incident to a lawful arrest; (2) search of a moving motor vehicle;
(3) search in violation ofcustoms laws; (4) seizure of evidence in
plain view; (5) when the accused himself waives his right against
unreasonablesearches and seizures;ii[24] and (6) stop and frisk
situations.
As a rule, an arrest is considered legitimate if effected with a
valid warrant of arrest. The Rules of Court, however,recognizes
permissible warrantless arrests. Thus, a peace officer or a private
p
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erson may, without warrant, arrest a person: (a)when, in his
presence, the person to be arrested has committed, is actually
committing, or is attempting to commit an offense(arrest in
flagrante delicto); (b) when an offense has just been committed and
he has probable cause to believe based onpersonal knowledge of
facts or circumstances that the person to be arrested hascommitted
it (arrest effected in hot pursuit);and (c) when the person to be
arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment
or a place where he is servingfinal judgment or is temporarily
confined while his case is pending, or has escaped while being
transferred from oneconfinement to another (arrest of escaped
prisoners). In the case at bar, accused-appellants manifested no
outward indicationthat would justify their arrest. In holding a bag
on board a trisikad, accused-appellants could not be said to be
committing,attempting to commit or have committed a crime. The
response of Molina that Boss,if possible we will settle thisis
anequivocal statement which standing alone will not constitute
probable cause to effect an inflagrante delicto arrest. Note
thatwere it not for SPO1 Marino Paguidopon (who did not participate
in the arrest but merely pointed accused-appellants to thearresting
officers), accused-appellants could not be the subject of any
suspicion, reasonable or otherwise. SPO1 Paguidopon onlylearned
Mulas name and address after the arrest. It is doubtful if SPO1
Paguidopo
n indeed recognized accused-appellant Mula.It is worthy to note
that, before the arrest, he was able to see Mula in persononly
once, pinpointed to him by his informer whilethey were on the side
of the road. These circumstances could not have afforded SPO1
Paguidopon a closer look at accused-appellant Mula, considering
that the latter was then driving a motorcycle when SPO1 Paguidopon
caught a glimpse of him. With
