TodayisTuesday,April18,2017

Custom Search

RepublicofthePhilippines
SUPREMECOURT
Manila

FIRSTDIVISION

G.R.No.88589April16,1991

PEOPLEOFTHEPHILIPPINES,plaintiffappellee,
vs.
CARLITOLINSANGANyDIAZ,accusedappellant.

TheSolicitorGeneralforplaintiffappellee.
CamiloR.Murilloforaccusedappellant.

GRIOAQUINO,J.:

This is an appeal from the decision dated April 26, 1988, of the Regional Trial Court, Branch XLIX, Manila, in
Criminal Case No. 8758968SCC, finding the accused guilty of the crime of Violation of Section 4 of Article II in
relationtoSection21,Art.IVofRepublicAct6425(TheDangerousDrugsLaw),asamended,sentencinghimto
sufferthepenaltyofreclusionperpetuawithalltheaccessorypenaltiesofthelaw,andtopayafineofP20,000plus
costs.

TheinformationdatedNovember13,1987,charged:

ThatonoraboutNovember13,1987intheCityofManila,Philippines,thesaidaccused,notbeingauthorized
bylawtosell,deliver,giveawaytoanotherordistributeanyprohibiteddrug,didthenandtherewilfullyand
unlawfullysell,deliverorgiveawaytoanotherten(10)handrolledsticksofmarijuanacigarettes,whichisa
prohibiteddrug.(p.15,Rollo.)

Upon arraignment on November 27, 1987, the appellant, assisted by counsel de parte, pleaded not guilty to the
charge.

It was established during the trial that in early November, 1987, police operatives of the Drug Enforcement Unit,
PoliceStationNo.3oftheWesternPoliceDistrictwereinformedthattherewasrampantdrugusingandpushingon
DinalupihanStreet,Tondo,Manila.Thepusherwasdescribedtothemasaboyofabout20years,5'5"inheight,
andofordinarybuild.Heallegedlysoldmarijuanatoanybody,regardlessofage("walanggulang").Inlightofthese
reports, Police Lieutenant Manuel Caeg and the other members of the unit organized a "buybust" operation on
November13,1987atDinalupihanSt.,Tondo,Manila,toeffectthearrestofthenotoriousdrugpusher.Patrolman
Roberto Ruiz, a member of the WPD since October 1, 1978 and assigned to the Drug Enforcement Unit since
October,1987,doingsurveillanceandarrestoperations,wasdesignatedastheteamleader,Pfc.EleazarLahom,
PatrolmenTomasitoCorpuzandJesusSaulogweredesignatedasteammembers(pp.119,t.s.n.,December16,
1987).

Five (5) days before the appointed date, the police operatives conducted a "testbuy" operation on Rizal Avenue,
Sta.Cruz,Manila.TheyarrestedapersonforviolationofSection8ofRepublicAct6425,asamended(Possession
or Use of Prohibited Drug). Under questioning by the police operatives, the person informed them that he bought
marijuanaatDinalupihanStreetinTondo.

OnNovember13,1987at10o'clockinthemorning,beforethegrouplefttheofficefortheareaofoperation,two(2)
tenpesobillsweregiventoPat.Corpuzwhohadmarkedthemwithhisinitials"T.C."Hegaveoneofthemarked
bills to the informer. Then, they proceeded to Dinalupihan, using an ownertype jeep driver by Pat. Lahom. They
wereallincivilianclothes.Pat.Corpuzworeapairofmaongshortsandawhitetshirtplacedoverhisshoulders.
TheyparkedthejeeponDinalupihanStreetnearPampangaStreetinTondo.Afterbriefingbytheteamleader,Pat.
Corpuzandtheconfidentialinformantapproachedtheappellant.Pat.LahomandSaulogremainedinthejeepwhile
Pat.Ruizstoodbesidethejeeptowatchthetransaction.
As Patrolman Corpuz and the confidential informant walked together, they conversed about the suspect. Pat.
Corpuzaskedtheinformantwherethesuspectwasandtheinformerpointedtotheappellant,whowasseatedby
the gutter about six (6) meters away from them, seemingly waiting for someone. He was wearing blueandgreen
shorts and a sando (undershirt). The informer raised his hand as a signal to the appellant, who rose and walked
towardthem.Theywalkedtowardawoodenhousewithawoodenfenceandastoreontheleftside.Theinformer
toldtheappellant:"Kukuhaako."Theinformerasked?"Magkano?"Theinformertoldtheaccusedthathewouldbuy
P10worthofmarijuanawhilehis"compadre"(referringtoPatrolmanTomasitoCorpuz),wouldalsogetP10worth.
P20 would fetch ten (10) cigarette sticks of handrolled marijuana at P2.00 per stick. The policeman and the
informerimpressedupontheaccusedthattheywereindireneedofmarijuana.TheaccusedtooktheP20fromPat.
Corpuz and tucked it in his front waist. The accused went inside the wooden house, while Pat. Corpuz and the
informerwaitedoutside.TheaccusedemergedshortlyandhandedovertoPat.Corpuzten(10)cigarettesticksof
handrolledmarijuana.Pat.Corpuztookthemwithhisrighthandandatthesametimehegrabbedtheaccusedwith
his other hand, saying: "Pulis ito, h'wag kang pumalag!" Pat. Ruiz saw the signal and rushed over to them. The
accusedtriedtoresistbutwasoverpowered.Theinformertooktohisheels(pp.135,t.s.n.,Jan.13,1988).

Pat. Ruiz frisked Linsangan and retrieved the marked tenpeso bills (Exhs. A1 and A2) tucked in his waist. He
askedtheappellanttosignhisnameonthetwoP10bills.Theyboardedthejeepandreturnedtothepolicestation.
Pat.RuizpreparedaletterrequesttotheNBIforthelaboratoryexaminationofthetensuspectedmarijuanasticks.
Theappellantalsoputhisinitials"C.L."oneachstick(December18,1987,t.s.n.).

BeforePat.Ruizinvestigatedtheappellant,hepreparedthebookingsheetandarrestreport,theaffidavitofarrest,
crime report, and referral letter to the Fiscal's Office. Just when the appellant was being apprised of his
constitutionalrights,hisuncle,aneighbor,andthebarangaychairmanarrived.AccordingtoPat.Ruiz,Linsangan's
uncleofferedP500toPat.CorpuzinthepresenceofPat.Lahom,tolettheaccusedgo.Hewasrequestedbythe
barangaychairman,whoisallegedlyacompadreofMajorYangquiling,commanderofthearrestingofficers,notto
proceedwiththecase.

Theten(10)handrolledcigarettestickswerereferredtotheNBI'sforensicchemist,CarinaJavier,forexamination.
Shefoundthempositiveformarijuana.AssoonasPat.RuizreceivedtheNBIreportontheexamination,hebooked
theappellantforviolationoftheDangerousDrugsLawandfiledthecasewiththefiscal'soffice.

Linsangandeniedthecharge.Heallegedthatataround10:30inthemorningofNovember13,1987,hewasinthe
vendor'sstandofhisneighborEmeterioBalboa,aliasReyGalunggong,onDinalupihanStreettobuyhisbreakfast,
forhehadjustawakened.Helivedwithhiswidowedmother,Erlinda,onthegroundfloorofatwostoreyhouseon
thealleyat1284DinalupihanStreet,Tondo,Manila.Theupperfloorwasoccupiedbyhismother'sbrother,Geosito
Diaz,whoisengagedinthesecondhandtirebusiness.Althoughonceinawhile,hisunclehelpedthemfinancially,
heearnedhislivingbydrivingatricycleona5p.m.to12:00p.m.shift.Headmittedthathehadwitnessedsome
meninDinalupihanengagedindrinkingspreesandsmokingmarijuana.

TheappellantallegedthatthepoliceofficersfabricatedthechargeagainsthimforinthelastweekofSeptember,
1987,PatrolmenCorpuzandRuiztriedtoboardhistricycle,whichhewasdrivingthatnight,toarrestsomeone,but
hedidnotallowthemtoboardhistricycle,forfearofbeinginvolvedinthecase.

Appellant's neighbor Emeterio Balboa testified that at around 10:30 a.m. on November 13, 1987, two persons
alighted from an ownertype jeep parked near his store. They asked the appellant, who was standing about one
andahalfarmslength away if he was Carlito Linsangan, and when the appellant said "yes," they introduced
themselvesaspolicemen,friskedhimandtookhimaway.

The appellant presented a Certification from his Barangay Chairman, Crisanto Guansing of Brgy. 206, Zone 19,
attestingtohisgoodmoralcharacter.Nevertheless,thetrialcourtfoundhimguiltyofthechargeofdrugpushing.
Thedispositivepartofitsdecisionreads:

WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered finding the Accused CARLITO LINSANGAN Y DIAZ guilty
beyond reasonable doubt for the crime of violation of Section 4 of Republic Act 6425, as amended and
herebysentenceshimtothepenaltyofRECLUSIONPERPETUA,withalltheaccessorypenaltiesofthelaw,
andtopayafineofP20,000,withoutsubsidiaryimprisonmentincaseofinsolvency,andtopaythecosts.

Theten(10)cigarettesticksofhandrolledmarijuana(Exhibits"F2"to"F11")subjectmatterofthiscaseare
herebyconfiscatedinfavorofthegovernment.

The Accused shall be entitled to the full period of his detention at the City Jail provided that he agreed in
writingtoabidebyandcomplystrictlywiththerulesandregulationsoftheCityJail.(pp.3233,Rollo.)

TheaccusedappealedtothisCourtallegingthatthelowercourterred:

1.innotfindingthattheprosecutionwitnesses,Pfc.RuizandCorpuz,weremotivatedbyillfeelingsagainst
theappellant,andthattheirtestimonieswerefraughtwithcontradictionsandinconsistencies
 2.innotfindingthatitwastheinformerandnottheaccused,whohandedtensticksofhandrolledmarijuana
cigarettestoPat.Corpuz

3.innotholdingthatthemarkedmoneywasplantedevidenceand

4.innotholdingthatwhenthepolicemenrequiredhimtoinitialtheP10bills,theyviolatedhisconstitutional
righttocounsel,toremainsilent,andnottoincriminatehimselfwhileundercustodialinvestigation.

Theappealhasnomerit.

Thecourt'sassessmentofthecredibilityoftheprosecution'switnessesisentitledtogreatrespectunlessanduntil
theyareclearlyshowntobearbitrary,whichthedefensefailedtodo(Peoplevs.Caldito,182SCRA554).Although
some inconsistencies were noted by the appellant in the affidavit of arrest prepared by Pat. Corpuz, they involve
minordetailswhichdonotaffecttheoverallpictureofthecase.

The alleged motive of the policemen for fabricating the charge against him and planting marked money on his
personisnotcredible.TheCourtisunabletoimaginethatalowlytricycledriverwouldhavethetemeritytodefya
pairofarmedpolicemenbyrefusingtogivethemarideinhistricycletopursuealawviolator.

The appellant was not denied due process during the custodial investigation. Although he was not assisted by
1wphi1

counselwhenheinitialedtheP10billsthatthepolicefoundtuckedinhiswaist,hisrightagainstselfincrimination
wasnotviolatedforhispossessionofthemarkedbillsdidnotconstituteacrimethesubjectoftheprosecutionwas
his act of selling marijuana a cigarettes (People vs. Layuso, 175 SCRA 47 People vs. Macuto, 176 SCRA 762
Mejiavs.Pamaran,160SCRA457).HisconvictionwasnotbasedonthepresenceofhisinitialsontheP10bills,
but on the fact that the trial court believed the testimony of the policemen that they arrested him while he was
actually engaged in selling marijuana cigarettes to a member of the arresting party. The trial court gave more
credencetotheircategoricaldeclarationsthantotheappellant'sdenials(Peoplevs.Tan,145SCRA614).Thatisas
it should be for as law enforcers, they are presumed to have performed their official duties in a regular manner
(Peoplevs.deJesus,145SCRA521Peoplevs.Ale,145SCRA50).Theirtaskofapprehendingpersonsengaged
inthedeadlydrugtradeisdifficultenoughwithoutlegalandproceduraltechnicalitiestomakeitdoublyso.

WHEREFORE,theappealisdismissedforlackofmerit.ThejudgmentofthetrialcourtinCriminalCaseNo.87
58968SCCisherebyaffirmedexceptthepenaltyimposedontheaccused,CarlitoLinsanganyDiaz,whichshallbe
lifeimprisonmentandafineofP20,000.00withcostsdeoficio.

SOORDERED.

Narvasa,Cruz,GancaycoandMedialdea,JJ.,concur.

TheLawphilProjectArellanoLawFoundation