Man Acquitted by Court of Appeals in P6.8 Million Shabu Seizure Case
The Court of Appeals (CA) has acquitted a man who was arrested in a buy-bust operation in 2019 where authorities seized P6.8 million worth of shabu.
Ibrahim was initially sentenced to life imprisonment plus a P3 million fine by the Parañaque Regional Trial Court on Oct. 10, 2022.
In their ruling, the appeals court pointed out gaps in the “chain of custody rule” by the arresting police officers.
The CA highlighted six violations of the chain of custody rule under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act committed by the officers during the operation.
The court stated that the prosecution failed to convincingly establish the chain of custody of the alleged contraband seized from Ibrahim, emphasizing significant gaps in the process.
Furthermore, the CA emphasized flaws such as the absence of insulating witnesses during the buy-bust operation and the failure to indicate the weight of the plastic sachets seized.
Additionally, the court noted a failure to properly document the details of the confiscated items, casting doubts on the integrity of the seized evidence.
The appellate court’s decision ultimately led to the acquittal of Ibrahim, with the directive for his immediate release from custody, unless held for another valid reason.
The ruling was concurred by Associate Justices Ruben Reynaldo Roxas and Eduardo Ramos Jr.
