Brush up on rules on warrantless arrest, SC tells law enforcers

The Supreme Court (SC) has reminded law enforcers on the rules on warrantless arrests and searches on persons or vehicles of suspected criminal offenders as it acquitted a drug convict because of “unreasonable and unlawful” search and arrest done by the police. In a decision written by Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, the SC said there must be a lawful arrest first before a search can be done and “the process cannot be reversed.” It pointed out that “routine inspections do not give police officers carte blanche (complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best) discretion to conduct warrantless searches in the absence of probable cause.” With the decision, the SC acquitted Gerrjan Manago of violating Section 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 because of violations on the rules on warrantless arrests and searches. Manago was convicted by the [...]