Source: http://lawlibrary.chanrobles.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53070:gr-186497-2009&catid=1522&Itemid=566
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 12:28:07+00:00

Document:
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. HASANADDIN GUIARA y BANSIL, Accused-Appellant.
This is an appeal from the September 19, 2008 Decision1 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CR-H.C. No. 02958 entitled People of the Philippines v. Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil which affirmed the July 18, 2007 Joint Decision2 of Branch 267 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasig City in Criminal Case Nos. 14272-D-TG and 14273-D-TG, finding accused-appellant Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil guilty of violations of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act No. (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
That on or about the 24th day of August, 2005, in the City of Taguig, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named accused, did, then and there willfully, unlawfully and knowingly sell, deliver and give away to PO2 Rolly B. Concepcion, who acted as poseur-buyer, a total of 0.17 gram of white crystalline substance, which substance was found positive to the test for Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, also known as Shabu, a dangerous drug.
That on or about the 24th day of August, 2005, in the City of Taguig, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named accused, without being authorized by law to possess any dangerous drug, did, then and there willfully, unlawfully and knowingly possesses and under his custody and control .23 gram of white crystalline substance contained in one (1) heat sealed transparent plastic sachet, which substance was found positive to the test for Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, also known as "Shabu", a dangerous drug, in violation of the above-cited law.
On November 29, 2005, accused-appellant was arraigned and entered a plea of "not guilty" to the charges against him.
At the pre-trial conference, the prosecution and the defense stipulated on: (1) the identity of accused-appellant; (2) the jurisdiction of the trial court over the person of accused-appellant and the subject matter of the cases; (3) the date, place, and fact of the arrest; (4) the authority of the police officers as members of the Station Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Force (SAID-SOTF) of the Taguig City Police Station; (5) the existence of the subject specimens; (6) the fact that a request has been made by the arresting officers for the examination of the confiscated items; (7) the fact that the Forensic Chemist, Police Senior Inspector Maridel Rodis, examined the specimens and issued a laboratory report thereon; (8) the fact that the examining forensic chemist had no knowledge from whom the alleged specimens were taken; and (9) the fact that the subject specimens tested positive for methylamphetamine hydrochloride. Hence, after the stipulations were made, the testimony of the Forensic Chemist was dispensed with.
During the trial, the prosecution presented as their witnesses PO2 Rolly B. Concepcion and PO2 Ronnie L. Fabroa. On the other hand, the defense presented as its witnesses accused-appellant, Normina Piang, and Abdul Pattah.
On August 24, 2005, at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a confidential informant arrived at the Taguig City Police Station and reported the illegal drug peddling activities of one alias "Mads" on Zamboanga Street, Maharlika Village, Taguig City. Accordingly, the information was relayed to their Chief P/Insp. Ronaldo Pamor who then conducted a briefing.
During the briefing, PO2 Rolly B. Concepcion was designated as the poseur-buyer. He was given a five hundred peso (PhP 500) bill, which he marked with his initials, "RBC," and photocopied for record purposes, to be used as the buy-bust money during the entrapment.
After making the necessary coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the police team, which was composed of P/Insp. Pamor, PO2 Concepcion, PO3 Arnulfo VicuÃ±a, PO3 Danilo Arago, PO3 Santiago Cordova, PO3 Felipe Metrillo, PO2 Ronnie L. Fabroa, PO2 Remegio Aguinaldo, PO3 Antonio Reyes, and SPO1 Angelito Galang, with the informant, proceeded to their target area. Upon arriving at the target area, the team members positioned themselves strategically to observe the transaction, while PO2 Concepcion and the informant proceeded to the location of the shabu peddler where the informant introduced PO2 Concepcion to alias "Mads." He told "Mads" that his friend wanted to buy PhP 500 worth of shabu. "Mads" then replied, "Limang-daang piso lang ba? Meron pa ako dito." He then pulled out two (2) plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance and gave the smaller packet to PO2 Concepcion. In turn, PO2 Concepcion gave the marked money to "Mads." Thereafter, "Mads" handed a plastic sachet containing shabu to PO2 Concepcion, who upon receiving the same, executed the pre-arranged signal, by removing his ballcap, signifying that the transaction was already consummated. This prompted his team to rush to their position to assist in the arrest.
After the apprehension of "Mads," who was later identified as accused-appellant, the buy-bust money was recovered from the possession of accused-appellant, as well as another plastic sachet containing shabu. PO2 Concepcion then marked the confiscated pieces of evidence for future identification purposes. After marking, accused-appellant was brought to the police station.
Qualitative examination conducted on specimen A and B gave POSITIVE result to the tests for Methylamphetamine Hydrochloride, a dangerous drug.
On the other hand, accused-appellant interposed the defenses of denial and frame-up.
He recounted that on August 24, 2005, at around 2:30 in the afternoon, while he was on his way to a billiard hall, a white motor vehicle suddenly stopped in front of him on Zamboanga Street, Maharlika Village, Taguig City. Immediately, three armed men with guns went out of the vehicle and approached him. After they introduced themselves as policemen, they held him and forced him to get inside their vehicle. He was then taken to the SAID-SOTF office at the Taguig police station.
While at the police station, accused-appellant inquired as to the reason why he was being detained. The police officers did not respond, instead they told him to call his parents or relatives and to tell them that he was caught by the police. PO2 Concepcion extorted him and told him to produce PhP 20,000 or else they would file a case against him for violation of the dangerous drugs law.
After having failed to produce the amount that the police were asking, accused-appellant was taken to the PNP Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame for drug testing. He was then taken back to Taguig City and presented for inquest.
The testimony of accused-appellant was corroborated by the testimonies of Normina Piang and Abdul Pattah to the extent of the manner in which the arrest of the accused-appellant was made by the police.
WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing considerations, the Court finds accused HASANADDIN GUIARA y Bansil in Criminal Case No. 14272-D-TG for Violation of Section 5, 1st paragraph, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as "The Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002", GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt. Hence, accused Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil is hereby sentenced to suffer LIFE IMPRISONMENT and ordered to pay a fine of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PhP500,000.00).
Moreover, accused HASANADDIN GUIARA y Bansil is also found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt in Criminal Case No. 14273-D-TG for Violation of Section 11, 2nd paragraph, No. 3 Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as "The Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002". And since the quantity of methylamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) found in the possession of the accused is only .23 gram, accused Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil is hereby sentenced to suffer imprisonment ranging from TWELVE (12) YEARS and ONE (1) DAY as minimum -to - FOURTEEN (14) YEARS and TWENTY ONE (21) DAYS as maximum. Accused Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil is further penalized to pay a fine in the amount of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PhP300,000.00).
Accordingly, the Jail Warden of Taguig city Jail where accused Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil is presently detained is hereby ordered to forthwith commit the person of convicted Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil to the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP), Bureau of Corrections in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila.
Upon the other hand, the shabu contained in two (2) heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets with a total weight of 0.40 gram which are the subject matter of the above-captioned cases, are hereby ordered transmitted and/or submitted to the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) subject and/or pursuant to existing Rules and Regulations promulgated thereto for its proper disposition.
On appeal to the CA, accused-appellant disputed the lower court's decision finding him guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime charged. He raised the issue that the police officers failed to conduct a legitimate and valid buy-bust operation. He also questioned whether the chain of custody of the shabu allegedly recovered from him was properly established arguing that the police officers failed to follow the established rules governing custodial procedures in drug cases without any justification for doing so.
The foregoing testimony indubitably shows that a transaction involving shabu between appellant and the poseur-buyer actually took place. This is important because in prosecutions involving illegal sale of dangerous drugs, what is material is the proof that the transaction or sale actually took place, coupled with the presentation in court of the corpus delicti as evidence. The corpus delicti in this case was sufficiently established with the presentation of the specimen 'HBG-1' in court and the Chemistry Report No. D-959-05 which clearly states that the contents thereof were shabu.
In the case at bar, appellant was caught in actual possession of prohibited drugs without any showing that he was duly authorized by law to possess the same. Having been caught in flagrante delicto, there is, therefore a prima facie evidence of animus possidendi on appellant's part.
The CA also dismissed the allegation of frame-up saying that the defense failed to establish any ulterior motive on the part of the arresting officers in deviation from the legitimate performance of their duties.
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Joint Decision of the Regional Trial Court of Pasig City, Branch 267, in Criminal Case Nos. 14272-D-TG & 14273-D-TG, promulgated on July 18, 2007, finding accused-appellant guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Secs. 5 and 11, Art. II of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), as amended, is hereby AFFIRMED and UPHELD.
Accused-appellant filed a timely notice of appeal of the CA Decision.
Accused-appellant attacks the credibility of the police officers who conducted the buy-bust operation. He argues that the contradictory testimonies of the police show that no buy-bust operation was actually carried out and that it was merely fabricated or concocted by the police officers to maliciously charge accused-appellant.
In the prosecution of illegal sale of shabu, the essential elements have to be established, to wit: (1) the identity of the buyer and the seller, the object of the sale and the consideration; and (2) the delivery of the thing sold and the payment therefor.11 What is material is the proof that the transaction or sale actually took place, coupled with the presentation in court of the corpus delicti as evidence. The delivery of the illicit drug to the poseur-buyer and the receipt by the seller of the marked money successfully consummate the buy-bust transaction.
A: At Zamboanga Street, Maharlika Village, Taguig City.
A: Upon arrival, sir, we walk towards the basketball court together with the confidential informant and readily saw alias "mads", sir.
A: He talked to alias "mads" and he introduced me as [a] buyer of shabu.
A: They talked, sir, and he told him that I m his friend and I m going to buy shabu worth five hundred pesos and alias "mads" uttered "limang-daang piso lang ba? Meron pa ko dito".
A: He asked for the five hundred pesos and he brought out two (2) plastic sachets, he chooses [one] and [gives] me the plastic sachet with a lesser contents.
A: Only one (1) plastic sachet, sir.
A: I gave the pre-arrange and I saw the immediate approach of PO2 Ronnie Fabroa, sir.
A: We arrested alias "mads" and I ask for his personal circumstances and I told him to bring out the contents of his pockets.
The foregoing testimony indubitably shows that a transaction involving shabu actually took place between accused-appellant and the poseur-buyer. What is more, the corpus delicti in this case was sufficiently established with the presentation of the specimen "HBG-1" in court and Chemistry Report No. D-959-05 which clearly states that the contents were shabu.
Likewise, the foregoing testimony also establishes that accused-appellant was indeed found in possession of illegal drugs aside from what he sold to the poseur-buyer, without showing that accused-appellant had any authority to possess them.
In the case at bar, accused-appellant was caught in actual possession of prohibited drugs without any showing that he was duly authorized by law to possess the same. Having been caught in flagrante delicto, there is, therefore, a prima facie evidence of animus possidendi on accused-appellant's part.
The substance of the prosecution's evidence is to the effect that accused Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil was arrested by the police because of the existence of the shabu he sold to PO2 Rolly B. Concepcion as well as the recovery of the buy-bust money from his possession, and the presence of another plastic sachet containing shabu that was also recovered from his person.
To emphasize, the prosecution witnesses in the person of PO2 Rolly B. Concepcion and PO2 Ronnie L. Fabroa positively identified accused Hasanaddin Guiara y Bansil as the person they apprehended on August 24, 2005 at Zamboanga Street, Maharlika Village, Taguig City. [They] arrested accused Hasanaddin B. Guiara because their team was able to procure shabu from him during the buy-bust operation they purposely conducted against the aforementioned accused.
Clearly, the trial court found that the testimonies of both PO2 Concepcion and PO2 Ronnie L. Fabroa established the existence of a valid and legitimate buy-bust operation and all the essential elements of the crimes charged against accused-appellant.
It should be noted that in passing upon the credibility of witnesses, the appellate court generally yields to the judgment of the trial courts since they are in a better position to decide the question, having heard the witnesses themselves and observed their deportment and manner of testifying during the trial.20 Thus, this Court finds no cogent reason to disturb the trial court's assessment of the credibility of the prosecution witnesses.
A: We arrested him and I [asked] for his personal circumstances and marked the evidence I confiscated from him and the shabu I bought, sir.
A: HBG-1, the subject of the sale and HBG-2 the evidence confiscated from his possession.
A: My companions [approached] us and we brought alias "mads" to the police station.
A: We [turned] it over to the investigator and after that he prepared a request for laboratory examination.
A: I and the investigator, sir.
A: They received the request for laboratory examination.
A: Together with the specimens, sir.
A: The stamp received, sir.
A: It was recorded by PO1 Calimag, sir.
A: Because there are my initials, sir.
A: This one is the subject of the sale, HBG-1.
INTERPRETER: Witness is referring to Exhibit 'D-1'.
A: And HBG-2, this is the plastic sachet confiscated from the accused.
Moreover, this Court held in Malillin v. People27 that the testimonies of all persons who handled the specimen are important to establish the chain of custody. Thus, the prosecution offered the testimony of PO2 Concepcion, the police officer who first handled the dangerous drug. The testimony of Police Senior Inspector Maridel C. Rodis, who handled the dangerous drug after PO2 Concepcion, was, however, dispensed with after the stipulations made by both the prosecution and the defense.
Undoubtedly, therefore, there was an unbroken chain in the custody of the illicit drug purchased from Accused-Appellant.
In order for the Court to appreciate such defenses, there must be clear and convincing evidence to prove such defense because in the absence of any intent on the part of the police authorities to falsely impute such crime against accused-appellant, the presumption of regularity in the performance of duty stands.
A : A white Adventure blocked my way, sir.
A : Three men in civilian clothes alighted from the vehicle and approached me. They held me and forced me to board their vehicle.
Therefore, this Court upholds the presumption of regularity in the performance of official duties and finds that the prosecution has discharged its burden of proving the guilt of accused-appellant beyond reasonable doubt.
WHEREFORE, the appeal is DISMISSED. The CA Decision in CA-G.R. CR HC No. 02958 finding accused-appellant Hasanaddin Guiara guilty of the crimes charged is AFFIRMED.
1 Rollo, pp. 2-24. Penned by Associate Justice Martin S. Villarama, Jr. and concurred in by Associate Justices Noel G. Tijam and Arturo G. Tayag.
2 CA rollo, pp. 13-24. Penned by Judge Florito S. Macalino.
6 CA rollo, pp. 23-24.
9 People v. Rumeral, G.R. No. 86320, August 5, 1991, 200 SCRA 194; People v. Castiller, G.R. No. 87783, August 6, 1990, 188 SCRA 376; People v. Gatong-o, G.R. No. 78698, December 29, 1988, 168 SCRA 716.
10 People v. Herrera, G.R. No. 93728, August 21, 1995, 247 SCRA 433; People v. Tadepa, G.R. No. 100354, May 26, 1995, 244 SCRA 339.
11 People v. Gonzales, G.R. No. 143805, April 11, 2002, 380 SCRA 689; People v. Bongalon, G.R. No. 125025, January 23, 2002, 374 SCRA 289; People v. Lacap, G.R. No. 139114, October 23, 2001, 368 SCRA 124; People v. Tan, G.R. No. 133001, December, 14, 2000, 348 SCRA 116; People v. Zheng Bai Hui, G.R. No. 127580, August 22, 2000, 338 SCRA 420.
12 TSN, May 24, 2006, pp. 12-14.
13 People v. Del Norte, G.R. No. 149462, March 29, 2004, 426 SCRA 383.
14 People v. Tira, G.R. No. 139615, May 28, 2004, 430 SCRA 134. See State v. Staley, 123 Wash. 2d 794, 872 P.2d 502 (1994).
15 23 Phil. 14 (1912).
17 CA rollo, p. 21.
18 People v. Gonzales, G.R. No. 143805, April 11, 2002, 380 SCRA 689; People v. Uy, G.R. No. 129019, August 16, 2000, 338 SCRA 232.
19 People v. Chen Tiz Chang, G.R. NOS. 131872-73, February 17, 2000, 325 SCRA 776.
20 People v. Appegu, G.R. No. 130657, April 1, 2002, 379 SCRA 703; People v. Julian-Fernandez, G.R. NOS. 143850-53, December 18, 2001, 372 SCRA 608.
21 People v. Doria, G.R. No. 125299, January 22, 1999, 301 SCRA 668, 718; citing People v. Zervoulakos, G.R. No. 103975, February 23, 1995, 241 SCRA 625 and People v. Rigodon, G.R. No. 111888, November 8, 1994, 238 SCRA 27.
22 Malillin v. People, G.R. No. 172953, April 30, 2008, 553 SCRA 619, 632.
23 Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9165, Sec. 21.
24 People v. Naquita, G.R. No. 180511, July 28, 2008, 560 SCRA 430, 448; citing People v. Del Monte, G.R. No. 179940, April 23, 2008, 552 SCRA 627.
25 Id. at 448; citing People v. Concepcion, G.R. No. 178876, June 27, 2008, 556 SCRA 421.
26 Records, pp. 125-129. TSN, May 24, 2006, pp. 14-18.
27 Supra note 22, at 632-633: "As a method of authenticating evidence, the chain of custody rule requires that the admission of an exhibit be preceded by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what the proponent claim it to be. It would include testimony about every link in the chain, from the moment the item was picked up to the time it is offered into evidence, in such a way that every person who touched the exhibit would describe how and from whom it was received, where it was and what happened to it while in the witness' possession, the condition in which it was received and the condition in which it was delivered to the next link in the chain. These witnesses would then describe the precautions taken to ensure that there had been no change in the condition of the item and no opportunity for someone not in the chain to have possession of the same."
28 People v. Dulay, G.R. No. 150624, February 24, 2004, 423 SCRA 652, 662; citing People v. Arlee, G.R. No. 113518, January 25, 2000, 323 SCRA 201, 214.
29 People v. Barita, G.R. No. 123541, February 8, 2000, 325 SCRA 22, 38.
30 People v. Tiu, G.R. No. 144545, March 10, 2004, 425 SCRA 207, 219; People v. Cercado, G.R. No. 144494, July 26, 2002, 385 SCRA 277.
31 Records, pp. 167-168. TSN, November 15, 2006, pp. 4-5.
32 CA rollo, pp. 21-22.
33 People v. Bello, G.R. No. 92597, October 4, 1994, 237 SCRA 347, 352.
34 People v. Belga, G.R. NOS. 94376-77, July 11, 1996, 258 SCRA 583, 594; Abadilla v. Tabiliran, Jr., A.M. No. MTJ-92-716, October 25, 1995, 249 SCRA 447.

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