The high court en banc, through Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, has ordered the immediate release of Jerry Sapla who was acquitted of drug charges. In reversing the lower court and Court of Appeals, the high court said the police cannot rely on anonymous text messages to conduct an extensive and intrusive search without a search warrant. “A tip is still hearsay no matter how reliable it may be,” the high court said. ADVERTISEMENTThe high court said that while they recognize the need to adopt an aggressive stand against illegal drugs, the indelible right against constitutional searches and seizures must not be sacrificed. “By disregarding basic constitutional rights as a means to curtail the proliferation of illegal drugs, instead of protecting the general welfare, oppositely, the general welfare is viciously assaulted,” the high court said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 18, 2020 09:33 UTC