Reyes v. People

Summary

Leniza Reyes was charged with illegal possession of 0.04 grams of shabu under RA 9165 after police officers, acting on a tip from teenagers, allegedly found her in possession of the substance. The RTC and CA convicted her, finding the warrantless arrest valid under the in flagrante delicto exception. However, the Supreme Court reversed and acquitted Reyes, ruling that no lawful warrantless arrest occurred as she exhibited no overt criminal act beyond matching a physical description and smelling of liquor. The Court held that police officers lacked the personal knowledge required for valid warrantless arrests, relying solely on unverified tips. The search was deemed invalid, making the seized evidence inadmissible as fruit of the poisonous tree. The decision reinforces constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and the strict requirements for warrantless arrests in drug cases.