WARRANTLESS ARREST ALVIN COMERCIANTE y GONZALES, Petitioner, vs. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Respondent. Respondent.
G.R. No. 205926 July 22, 2015 PERLAS-BERNABE,J.: ____________________________________________________ _________________________ ___________________________________ ________
FACTS On or abou abou !" #0! $ay o% July July 200#, 200#, &n !" '&y '&y o% (an$aluy (an$aluyon) on),, P!&l&**&n" P!&l&**&n"+, +, a *la" *la" &!&n !" ur&+$&& ur&+$&&on on o% !&+ /onorabl" /onorabl" 'our, 'our, !" abo"-na"$ au+"$, no !a&n) b""n la%ully au!or&"$ o *o++"++ any $an)"rou+ $an)"rou+ $ru)+, $ru)+, $&$ !"n an$ !"r" &ll%ully, &ll%ully, unla%ully unla%ully an$ %"lon&ou+ly %"lon&ou+ly an$ 3no&n)ly !a" &n !&+ *o++"++&on, u+o$y an$ onrol 4o 2 !"a+"al"$ ran+*ar"n *la+& +a!" +& "a! ona&n&n) 0.15 )ra +& an$ 0.27 )ra +& o% !&" ry+all&n" +ub+an" &! a oal o% 0.8# )ra+ !&! a+ %oun$ *o+&&" o !" "+ %or ("!a*!"a&n" /y$ro!lor&$" oonly 3non a+ +!abu, a $an)"rou+ $ru). Aor$&n) o !" *ro+"u&on, a aroun$ 10 olo3 &n !" ""n&n) o% July #0, 200#, A)"n E$uar$o Ra$an A)"n Ra$an o% !" NAR'O4;'S )rou* an$ P0# B&"ny 'ala) ;; P0# 'ala) "r" aboar$ a ooryl", *aroll&n) !" ar"a !&l" on !"&r ay o &+& a %r&"n$ a Pr&a" Roa$, Baran)ay /ulo, (an$aluyon) '&y. 'ru&+&n) a a +*""$ o% #0 3&lo""r+ *"r !our alon) Pr&a" Roa$, !"y +*o"$, a a $&+an" o% abou 10 ""r+, o 2 "n < la"r &$"n&="$ a+ 'o"r&an" an$ a "ra&n Er&3 >a+&lla >a+&lla +an$&n) an$ +!o&n) &*ro*"r an$ un*l"a+an o""n+, &! on" o% !" !an$&n) *la+& +a!"+ o !" o!"r. 4!&n3&n) !a !" +a!"+ ay ona&n +!abu, !"y &"$&a"ly +o**"$ an$ a**roa!"$ 'o"r&an" an$ >a+&lla A a $&+an" o% aroun$ =" 5 ""r+, P0# 'ala) &nro$u"$ !&+"l !&+"l%% a+ a *ol&" *ol&" o?"r, o?"r, arr"+ arr"+"$ "$ 'o"r 'o"r&an &an" " an$ >a+&ll >a+&lla, a, an$ on=+a"$ o 2 *la+& +a!"+ ona&n&n) !&" ry+all&n" +ub+an" %ro !". A laboraory "@a&na&on la"r on=r"$ !a +a&$ +a!"+ ona&n"$ "!a*!"a&n" !y$ro!lor&$" or +!abu. A%"r !" *ro+"u&on r"+"$ &+ a+", >a+&lla =l"$ a $"urr"r o "&$"n", !&! !&! a+ )ran"$ )ran"$ by !" R4', R4', !u+ !u+ !&+ au&a au&al. l. /o"" /o""r, r, $u" o 'o"r 'o"r&an &an" "+ + %a&lur %a&lur" " o =l" !&+ on $"ur $"urr"r r"r o "&$"n "&$"n", ", !" R4' on+&$ on+&$"r "r"$ "$ !&+ r&)! o $o +o a&"$ a&"$ an$ or$"r or$"r"$ "$ !& o *r"+" *r"+"n n !&+ "&$"n".
;n !&+ $"%"n+", 'o"r&an" a"rr"$ !a P0# 'ala) a+ loo3&n) %or a "ra& "ra&n n Baro Baro3, 3, !o a+ a noor& noor&ou+ ou+ $ru) *u+!"r *u+!"r &n !" ar"a, !"n +u$$"nly, !" an$ >a+&lla, !o "r" u+ +an$&n) &n %ron o% a ""*n"y alon) Pr&a" Roa$, "r" arr"+"$ an$ a3"n o a *ol&" +a&on. 4!"r", !" *ol&" o?"r+ la&"$ o !a" on=+a"$ &ll")al $ru)+ %ro !" an$ "r" a+3"$ on"y &n "@!an)" %or !"&r r"l"a+". !"n !"y %a&l"$ o a"$" o !" $"an$, !"y "r" brou)! o ano!"r *ol&" +a&on o un$"r)o un$"r)o &nu"+ &nu"+ *ro""$&n) *ro""$&n)+, +, an$ !"r"a%" !"r"a%"r, r, "r" !ar)"$ &! &ll")al &ll")al *o++"++&on o% $an)"rou+ $ru)+.
ISS!E !"!"r !" arranl"++ arr"+ al&$ly "@"r&+"$.
ACTIONS OF CO!RTS Re"ion#$ Tri#$ Co%rt
4!" R TC %oun$ !a P0# 'ala) on$u"$ a al&$ arranl"++ arr"+ on 'o"r&an", !&! y&"l$"$ o 2 *la+& +a!"+ ona&n&n) +!abu. ;n !&+ r"la&on, !" R 4' o*&n"$ !a !"r" a+ *robabl" au+" o u+&%y !" arranl"++ arr"+, on+&$"r&n) !a P0# 'ala) +a, &n *la&n &", !a 'o"r&an" a+ arry&n) !" +a&$ +a!"+ !"n !" $"&$"$ o a**roa! an$ a**r"!"n$ !" la"r. Cur!"r, !" R4' %oun$ !a ab+"n any *roo% o% &n"n !a P0# 'ala) a+ &*"ll"$ by any al&&ou+ o&", !" u+ b" *r"+u *r"+u"$ "$ o !a" !a" *ro*"r *ro*"rly ly *"r%or *"r%or"$ "$ !&+ $uy $uy !"n !"n !" arr"+ arr"+"$ "$ 'o"r&an". A))r&""$, 'o"r&an" a**"al"$ o !" 'A. Co%rt o& Appe#$s
CA a?r"$ 'o"r&an"+ on&&on. ; !"l$ !a P0# 'ala) !a$ *robabl" *robabl" au+" o "D" !" arranl"++ arranl"++ arr"+ o% 'o"r&an 'o"r&an", ", )&"n !a !" la"r a+ o&&n) a r&" &n a)ran" $"l&oF an$ !a !" *"r+onally +a !" la"r "@!an)&n) *la+& +a!"+ &! >a+&lla. >a+&lla. Aor$ Aor$&n) &n) o !" 'A, !&+ !&+ a+ "nou)! "nou)! o $ra $ra a r"a+onabl" +u+*&&on !a !o+" +a!"+ &)! b" +!abu, an$ !u+, P0# 'ala) !a$ ""ry r"a+on o &nu&r" on !" a"r r&)! !"n an$ !"r".
>&++a&+="$ >&++a&+="$,, 'o"r&an 'o"r&an" " o"$ %or r"on+&$"r r"on+&$"ra&on a&on !&! a+, !o"" !o""r, r, $"n&"$ $"n&"$.. 'o"r 'o"r&an &an" " !"n !"n =l"$ =l"$ a *"&&o *"&&on n o !" S' on"n$&n) !a P0# 'ara) $&$ no "D" a al&$ arranl"++ arr"+ on !&. 'on+"u"nly, !" "&$"n" )a!"r"$ a+ a r"+ul o% +u!
&ll")al arranl"++ arr"+, &."., !" *la+& +a!"+ ona&n&n) +!abu +!oul$ b" r"n$"r"$ &na$&++&bl", n""++ar&ly r"+ul&n) &n !&+ au&al. S%pre'e Co%rt
R""r+"$ !" $"&+&on o% R4' an$ 'A. HEL(
S"&on 5, Rul" 11# o% !" R"&+"$ Rul"+ on 'r&&nal Pro"$ur" lay+ $on !" rul"+ on la%ul arranl"++ arr"++, a+ %ollo+: SEC.5. Arrest without warrant; when lawful. - A peace ocer or a private person may, without a warrant, arrest a person: (a !hen, in his presence, the person to "e arreste# has committe#, is actually committin$, or is attemptin$ to commit an o%ense; (" !hen an o%ense has &ust "een committe# an# he has pro"a"le cause to "elieve "ase# on personal 'nowle#$e of facts or circumstances that the person to "e arreste# has committe# it; an# (c !hen the person to "e arreste# is a prisoner who has escape# from a penal esta"lishment or place where he is servin$ nal &u#$ment or is temporarily conne# while his case is pen#in$, or has escape# while "ein$ transferre# from one connement to another.
;n a+"+ %all&n) un$"r *ara)ra*!+ a an$ b abo", !" *"r+on arr"+"$ &!ou a arran +!all b" %or!&! $"l&"r"$ o !" n"ar"+ *ol&" +a&on or a&l an$ +!all b" *ro""$"$ a)a&n+ &n aor$an" &! S"&on o% Rul" 112. 4!" a%or""n&on"$ *ro&+&on *ro&$"+ !r"" # &n+an"+ !"n a arranl"++ arr"+ ay b" la%ully "D""$: a arrest of a suspect in agrante delictoF b arr"+ o% a +u+*" !"r", based on personal knowledge of the arresting ocer , !"r" &+ *robabl" au+" !a +a&$ +u+*" a+ !" *"r*"raor o% a r&" !&! !a$ u+ b""n o&"$F arrest of a prisoner who has escaped %ro u+o$y +"r&n) =nal u$)"n or "*orar&ly
on=n"$ $ur&n) !" *"n$"ny o% !&+ a+" or !a+ "+a*"$ !&l" b"&n) ran+%"rr"$ %ro on" on=n""n o ano!"r. Cor a arranl"++ arr"+ un$"r S"&on 5 a o o*"ra", o 2 "l""n+ u+ onur, na"ly: a t)e person to *e #rrested '%st e+e%te #n overt #t indi#tin" t)#t )e )#s -%st o''itted, is #t%#$$y o''ittin", or is #tte'ptin" to o''it # ri'eF a n$ b s%) overt #t is done in t)e presene or it)in t)e vie o& t)e #rrestin" o/er. On !" o!"r !an$, S"&on 5 b r"u&r"+ %or &+ a**l&a&on !a a !" &" o% !" arr"+, an o0ense )#d in t -%st *een o''itted an$ !" #rrestin" o/er )#d person#$ 1no$ed"e o% %a+ &n$&a&n) !a !" au+"$ !a$ o&"$ &. ;n bo! &n+an"+, !" o?"r+ *"r+onal 3nol"$)" o% !" %a o% !" o&++&on o% an oD"n+" &+ ab+olu"ly r"u&r"$. Hn$"r S"&on 5 a, !" o/er )i'se$& itnesses t)e ri'eF !&l" &n S"&on b, )e 1nos &or # t t)#t # ri'e )#s -%st *een o''itted. A u$&&ou+ r"&" o% !" %aual &l&"u o% !" &n+an a+" r""al+ !a there could have been no lawful warrantless arrest ade on !oerciante . P0# 'ala) !&+"l% a$&"$ !a !" a+ aboar$ a ooryl" ru&+&n) a a +*""$ o% aroun$ #0 3&lo""r+ *"r !our !"n !" +a 'o"r&an" an$ >a+&lla +an$&n) aroun$ an$ +!o&n) &*ro*"r an$ un*l"a+an o""n+, &! on" o% !" !an$&n) *la+& +a!"+ o !" o!"r. On !" ba+&+ o% !" %or")o&n), !" $"&$"$ o "D" an arr"+. T)e Co%rt 2nds it )i")$y i'p$#%si*$e !a P0# 'ala), ""n a++u&n) !a !" !a+ *"r%" &+&on, oul$ b" abl" o &$"n&%y &! r"a+onabl" auray - "+*"&ally %ro a $&+an" o% aroun$ 10 ""r+, an$ !&l" aboar$ a ooryl" ru&+&n) a a +*""$ o% #0 3&lo""r+ *"r !our - &n&+ul" aoun+ o% !&" ry+all&n" +ub+an" &n+&$" o 2 "ry +all *la+& +a!"+ !"l$ by 'o"r&an".
4!" 'our al+o no"+ !a no other overt act could be properl" attributed to !oerciante as to rouse suspicion in the ind of #$% !alag that the forer had &ust coitted' was coitting' or was about to coit a crie(
I"r&ly, the acts of standing around with a copanion and handing over soething to the latter cannot in an" wa" be considered criinal acts. ;n %a, ""n &% 'o"r&an" an$ !&+ o*an&on "r" +!o&n) &*ro*"r an$ un*l"a+an o""n+ a+ *u by P0# 'ala), the sae would not have been sucient in order to e)ect a lawful warrantless arrest un$"r S"&on 5 a, Rul" 11# o% !" R"&+"$ Rul"+ on 'r&&nal Pro"$ur". ;n +u ' there was neither a valid warrantless arrest . A+ +u!, !" +!abu *ur*or"$ly +"&"$ %ro !& &+ rendered inadissible
&n "&$"n" %or b"&n) !" *ro"rb&al %ru& o% !" *o&+onou+ r"". S&n" !" on=+a"$ +!abu &+ !" "ry or*u+ $"l&& o% !" r&" !ar)"$, !oerciante ust necessaril" be ac*uitted and e+onerated fro all criinal liabilit"(
3HEREFORE, t)e petition is GRANTE(. T)e (eision #nd Reso$%tion o& t)e Co%rt o& Appe#$s #re )ere*y REVERSE( #nd SET ASI(E. Aordin"$y, petitioner A$vin Co'eri#nte is )ere*y AC4!ITTE( o& t)e ri'e o& vio$#tin" Setion 55, Arti$e II o& Rep%*$i At No. 6578.