- Petitioner
- Tuazon
- Respondent
- People
- Citation
- G.R. No. 253335
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- Third Division
- Decided
- June 15, 2022
Summary
This criminal case involved the illegal possession of 0.029 gram of shabu by Edilberto Tuazon. He was arrested on January 20, 2011, for breach of peace, and during the search, police found the prohibited substance. The RTC and CA both found him guilty, but the Supreme Court acquitted him due to the prosecution's failure to comply with the strict procedural requirements of Section 21 of R.A. No. 9165. The Court emphasized that the three-witness rule (media, DOJ, and elected official representatives) during inventory and photographing is mandatory to prevent evidence planting and ensure chain of custody integrity. The case reinforces the importance of strict compliance with anti-drug law procedures to protect accused persons' rights while maintaining evidence credibility.