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People vs. Roel Encinada

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee vs. ROEL ENCINADA, accused-appellant.

G.R. No. 116720 | 1997-10-02

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J:

In acquitting the appellant, the Court reiterates the constitutional proscription that evidence (in this case, prohibited drugs) seized without a valid search warrant is inadmissible in any proceeding. A yield of incriminating evidence will not legitimize an illegal search. Indeed, the end never justifies the means.

The Case

This principle is stressed in this appeal from the Judgment, 1 promulgated on July 15, 1994 by the Regional Trial Court of Surigao City, Branch 32, 2 in Criminal Case No. 3668, convicting Appellant Roel Encinada of illegal transportation of prohibited drugs under Section 4 of Republic Act No....