1 People vs. Frondozo, G.r. no.

177164, June 30, 2009

SECOND DIVISION
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES,
Appellee,

- versus -

RAMON FRONDOZO y DALIDA,

Appellant.

G.R. No. 177164

Present:
QUISUMBING,J., Chairperson,
YNARES-SANTIAGO,*
CHICO-NAZARIO,*
LEONARDO-DE
CASTRO,*

and
BRION, JJ.
Promulgated:

June 30, 2009

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x

DECISION
QUISUMBING, J.:
On appeal is the Decision[1] dated January 31, 2007 of the Court of Appeals
in CA-G.R. CR-H.C. No. 01582, affirming the Decision [2] dated August 3, 2005 of
the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Caloocan City, Branch 120 in Criminal Case
No. C-67810. The trial court found appellant Ramon Frondozo y Dalida guilty of
violation of Section 5,[3] Article II of Republic Act
No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.[4]
The information charging Frondozo with violation of Section 5, Article II of
Rep. Act No. 9165, reads:
xxxx

That on or about the 27th day of March, 2003 in Caloocan City, Metro
Manila and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named
accused without authority of law, did then and there wilfully, unlawfully and
feloniously sell and deliver to PO1 ABNER BUTAY who posed, as buyer [of]
METHAMPHETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE (SHABU) weighing 0.02 gram
drug, without the corresponding license or prescription therefore, knowing the
same to be [s]uch.
CONTRARY TO LAW.[5]
xxxx

On his arraignment, Frondozo pleaded not guilty.

As found by the RTC and confirmed by the Court of Appeals, the
testimonies of (1) PO1 Abner Butay, police operative of Caloocan City Hall North
Detachment who acted as poseur-buyer; (2) P/Insp. Albert Arturo, forensic chemist
of NPD Crime Laboratory; and (3) P/Insp. Richard Ang, then police investigator of
the Caloocan City Hall North Detachment, establish the following facts:
On March 27, 2003, acting on information from a police asset about the drug
activities of Frondozo, a team was organized by Major Mario M. Dapilloza,
composed of PO2 Hector Ortencio, PO2 Michael Conrad Martin Miranda,
PO1 Roderick Medrano and PO1 Abner Butay to conduct surveillance and buybust operation to entrap Frondozo. PO1 Butay testified that he came late during
the briefing so it was PO1 Medrano who relayed to him that he was designated as
poseur-buyer and the P100 buy-bust money was given to him. They agreed that he
will remove his cap as a signal to indicate that their mission was accomplished.[6]
Guided by the informants sketch of Frondozos house and a tip that he is the
only male residing there,[7] the team proceeded to the site of operation
before midnight of the same day. They positioned themselves strategically in
different positions where they could see PO1 Butay. Thereafter, PO1 Butay
approached Frondozos house and knocked at the door several times. When a man
came out, PO1 Butay told him pakuha. The man asked, magkano? and he
replied piso lang. The man said, sandali lang then went back inside the
house. Moments later, the man returned and handed a plastic sachet to PO1
Butay. PO1 Butay examined its content and was satisfied that the plastic sachet

contained shabu. PO1 Butay then handed the man the P100 buy-bust money and
put the plastic sachet of shabu inside his pocket. PO1 Butay then removed his
baseball cap as pre-arranged to signal to his teammates that the sale was already
consummated. He introduced himself to the man and stated pulis ako pare and
showed him his badge. He frisked the mans body and found two arrows with
sling, one fan knife (balisong) and the P100 buy-bust money from the mans
hand. PO1 Butay testified that his teammates never went inside the house.[8]
Together with the members of the team, PO1 Butay brought the man, who
was later on identified as Frondozo, to the police station. The specimen and the
items seized from Frondozos body were turned over to P/Insp. Richard Ang who
marked the specimen RFD-01 and prepared the request for laboratory
examination.
P/Insp. Albert Arturo made a laboratory examination of the contents of the
plastic sachet. Based on the physical, chemical and chromatographic examinations
he conducted, it was found that the specimen yielded positive results for the
presence of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.[9]
During trial, PO1 Butay positively identified Frondozo as the man who sold
him the prohibited drug. He also identified Exhibit D-4 marked as RFD-01 as
the shabu he bought from Frondozo.[10]
Thereafter, P/Insp. Ang presented in court the P100 bill used in the buy-bust
operation against Frondozo. He also testified that he entered the serial number of
the buy-bust money in their logbook at their station. He said he attached the
referral slip, pre-operational report and the booking sheet arrest report to the case
envelope but he no longer has access to it since he is now assigned in
Malabon. P/Insp. Ang further testified that there was a coordination sheet faxed to
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). However, he was not able to
present the documents in court since he did not receive any subpoena and the
scheduled hearing was relayed to him only through a text message.[11]
In his defense, Frondozo denied the accusations against him. He testified that
on March 27, 2003 at about 10:00 p.m., a group of police officers arrived at his
residence in Brgy. Pag-asa, Camarin, Caloocan City. He was then washing clothes

while his wife was inside the house since the latter could not do the chore due to
her menstruation. He asked the police officers what they wanted and was in turn
asked by PO2 Miranda if he knew a certain alias Monching. When he admitted
that he was Monching, he said that he was instructed to face the wall and was
frisked. According to Frondozo, he was ordered to turn over the shabu which they
accused him of keeping. Despite his denial of the accusation, he was still
handcuffed, arrested and made to board a vehicle. Frondozo further averred that
PO1 Butay, PO2 Ortencio and PO1 Medrano entered and searched his
house. He claimed that the police officers found the fan knife on the table and the
two arrows with sling under the sink.[12]
Frondozo further narrated that he was thereafter brought to the Mini City
Hall Annex Police Station. While in the detention cell, PO1 Butay confronted and
accused him of stealing his 13 fighting cocks. [13] He denied stealing the fighting
cocks but PO1 Butay refused to believe him. He claimed that PO1 Butay laughed
when he told him tarantado ka and insisted even more that he stole the fighting
cocks. Frondozo admitted knowing PO1 Butays caretaker, alias July, who lives
about 50 meters away from his house, but maintained that prior to his arrest he
never knew PO1 Butay or any of the police officers who apprehended him. He
came to know their names only at the precinct.[14]
Moreover, Frondozo claimed that PO1 Butay extorted money from him.
While in the detention cell, PO1 Butay told him to pay P50,000 for his release but
the amount was later reduced to P20,000.[15] He said he was unable to pay since he
has not yet received his salary. He further claimed that he only learned of the case
filed against him after he was transferred to the City Jail. He also claimed he has
never seen shabu in his entire life.[16]
On August 3, 2005, the court a quo convicted Frondozo. The dispositive
portion of the decision reads:
WHEREFORE, from the foregoing, this Court finds accused RAMON
FRONDOZO Y DALIDA, GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt for Violation of
Section 5, Article II of RA 9165 and hereby imposes upon him the penalty of Life
Imprisonment and a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Pesos without
subsidiary imprisonment.

SO ORDERED.[17]

On January 31, 2007, the appellate court affirmed in toto the court a
quos decision. The dispositive portion of the Court of Appeals decision reads:
WHEREFORE, premises considered, appeal is hereby DISMISSED for
lack of merit and RAMON FRONDOZO y DALIDA should be made to suffer the
penalty correctly imposed by the trial court.
SO ORDERED.[18]

Aggrieved, Frondozo filed the instant appeal.

On July 4, 2007, we accepted the appeal and required Frondozo and the
Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to file their respective supplemental briefs if
they so desire.
Both parties, however, opted to file Manifestations in lieu of Supplemental
Briefs, and adopted their respective briefs filed before the Court of Appeals.[19]
In his brief, Frondozo alleges that:
I.
THE COURT A QUO GRAVELY ERRED IN GIVING WEIGHT AND
CREDENCE TO THE TESTIMONIES OF THE PROSECUTION WITNESSES.
II.
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING THE ACCUSED-APPELLANT
GUILTY BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT FOR VIOLATION OF SECTION
5, ARTICLE II, R.A. NO. 9165.[20]

This appeal hangs mainly on the alleged lack of credibility of the

prosecutions witnesses and the frame-up theory.
Frondozo insists that no buy-bust operation was conducted and instead, he
was a victim of a frame-up. He claims that PO1 Butay framed him because PO1
Butay suspected him of stealing his fighting cocks three months before his
arrest. He also accuses PO1 Butay of extorting P50,000 from him for his liberty.[21]

Furthermore, Frondozo assails the credibility of PO1 Butay (poseurbuyer). He contends that the following details cast doubt on the veracity of the
alleged buy-bust operation: (1) PO1 Butay claimed to have no knowledge whether
the buy-bust money had been dusted with fluorescent powder; [22] (2) he cannot
recall whether the plastic sachet of shabu was properly marked;[23] and (3) he
cannot recall the serial number of the buy-bust money.[24] Frondozo also asserts
that the prosecution not only failed to present as evidence the dispatch book where
the serial number of the buy-bust money was supposedly entered, [25] the
prosecution also failed to present evidence showing that the police officers
previously coordinated with PDEA regarding the buy-bust operation launched
against him.[26] Further, he doubts the identity of the shabu because it was marked
only after it was turned over to P/Insp. Ang and not immediately after seizure as a
standard procedure in anti-narcotics operation.[27]
Given these circumstances, Frondozo insists that the presumption of
regularity in the performance of official duty, by itself, could not sustain his
conviction, let alone prevail over the constitutionally guaranteed presumption of
innocence in his favor.[28]
The OSG, on the other hand, submits that Frondozos guilt had been proven
beyond reasonable doubt. The OSG insists that the evidence on record shows that
Frondozo was caught in flagrante delicto. They maintain that Frondozos defense
of frame-up and extortion deserves scant consideration since it was unsubstantiated
by any evidence other than his self-serving testimony. The OSG further asserts
that while the specimen was marked only after it was turned-over to P/Insp. Ang,
such fact did not vitiate the identity and chain of custody of the specimen sold by
Frondozo. Likewise, the OSG insists that the lack of documents showing that there
was prior coordination with PDEA is immaterial because what is more important is
that Frondozo was arrested in a valid buy-bust operation.[29]
Finally, the OSG maintains that in the absence of proof to the contrary, the
police officers enjoy the presumption of regularity in the performance of their
official duties.[30]
The appeal is meritorious.

Jurisprudence clearly sets the essential elements to be established in the

prosecution for illegal sale of dangerous drugs, viz.: (1) the transaction or sale took
place, (2) thecorpus delicti or the illicit drug was presented as evidence, and (3) the
buyer and seller were identified.[31]
What is material in the prosecution for illegal sale of dangerous drugs is
proof that the transaction or sale actually took place, coupled with the presentation
in court of evidence of corpus delicti.[32] Prosecutions for illegal sale of prohibited
drugs necessitate that the elemental act of possession of prohibited substance be
established with moral certainty, together with the fact that the same is not
authorized by law. The dangerous drug itself constitutes the very corpus delicti of
the offense and the fact of its existence is vital to a judgment of
conviction. Therefore, it is essential that the identity of the prohibited drug be
established beyond doubt.[33]
To establish the identity of the shabu seized from Frondozo, the procedures
laid down in Rep. Act No. 9165 should be complied with. Section 21 of the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of Rep. Act No. 9165 clearly outlines the
post-seizure procedure in taking custody of seized drugs. It states:
(1) The apprehending team having initial custody and control of the drugs
shall, immediately after seizure and confiscation, physically inventory and
photograph the same in the presence of the accused or the person/s from whom
such items were confiscated and/or seized, or his/her representative or counsel, a
representative from the media and the Department of Justice (DOJ), and any
elected public official who shall be required to sign the copies of the inventory
and be given a copy thereof. [Emphasis supplied.]

In this case, the arresting officers failed to strictly comply with the
procedures for the custody and disposition of confiscated dangerous drugs as
prescribed by Rep. Act No. 9165. The arresting officers did not mark
the shabu immediately after they arrested Frondozo. Further, while there was
testimony regarding the marking of the shabu after it was turned over to the police
investigator, no evidence was presented to prove that the marking thereof was done
in the presence of Frondozo.

Also, fatal in the prosecutions case is the failure of the arresting officers to
take a photograph and make an inventory of the confiscated materials in the
presence of Frondozo. Likewise, there was no mention that any representative
from the media, DOJ or any elected public official had been present during the
inventory or that any of these persons had been required to sign the copies of the
inventory.
Clearly, none of the statutory safeguards mandated by Rep. Act No. 9165
was observed. Hence, the failure of the buy-bust team to comply with the
procedure in the custody of the seized drugs raises doubt as to its origins.
Nevertheless, while the seized drugs may be admitted in evidence, it does
not necessarily follow that the same should be given evidentiary weight if the
procedures provided by Rep. Act No. 9165 were not complied with. The
admissibility of the seized dangerous drugs in evidence should not be equated with
its probative value in proving the corpus delicti. The admissibility of evidence
depends on its relevance and competence while the weight of evidence pertains to
evidence already admitted and its tendency to convince and persuade.[34]
Finally, the presumption of regularity in the performance of official duty
relied upon by the lower courts cannot by itself overcome the presumption of
innocence nor constitute proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. As a rule, the
testimony of police officers who apprehended Frondozo is accorded full faith and
credit because of the presumption that they have performed their duties
regularly. However, when the performance of their duties is tainted with
irregularities, such presumption is effectively destroyed.[35]
All told, the corpus delicti in this case does not exist.
WHEREFORE, the assailed Decision dated January 31, 2007 of the Court
of Appeals in CA-G.R. CR-H.C. No. 01582 is REVERSED and SET
ASIDE. Appellant RAMON FRONDOZO y DALIDA is ACQUITTED of the
crime charged on the ground of reasonable doubt and ordered
immediately RELEASED from custody, unless he is being held for some other
lawful cause.

The Director of the Bureau of Corrections is ORDERED to implement this

decision forthwith and to INFORM this Court, within five (5) days from receipt
thereof, of the date appellant was actually released from confinement.
SO ORDERED.

LEONARDO A. QUISUMBING
Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGO
Associate Justice

MINITA V. CHICO-NAZARIO
Associate Justice

TERESITA J. LEONARDO-DE CASTRO

Associate Justice

ARTURO D. BRION
Associate Justice

AT T E S TAT I O N

I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in
consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Courts
Division.

LEONARDO A. QUISUMBING
Associate Justice
Chairperson

C E R T I F I C AT I O N
Pursuant to Section 13, Article VIII of the Constitution and the Division
Chairpersons Attestation, I certify that the conclusions in the above Decision had
been reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the
opinion of the Courts Division.

REYNATO S. PUNO
Chief Justice