Photographing inventory of seized drugs

As to the failure to photograph the inventory of the seized items, such omission on the part of the police officers is not fatal to the case against the accused. The Supreme Court has ruled in various cases, such as People v. Almodiel,[1] People v. Rosialda,[2] People v. Llamado,[3] and People v. Rivera,[4] that the failure of the prosecution to show that the police officers conducted the required physical inventory and photograph of the evidence confiscated is not fatal and does not automatically render the arrest of the accused illegal or the items seized from him inadmissible.[5] As has been said held again and again, it is enough that the prosecution has sufficiently shown that the identity and evidentiary integrity of the seized items were properly preserved. As long as there is substantial compliance, the case is not materially affected by the prosecution’s failure to take a photograph of the seized items.[1] G.R. No. 200951, September 5, 2012, 680 SCRA 306.

[2] G.R. No. 188330, August 25, 2010, 629 SCRA 507.

[3] G.R. No. 185278, March 13, 2009, 581 SCRA 544.

[4] G.R. No. 182347, October 17, 2008, 569 SCRA 879.

[5] People v. Almodiel, G.R. No. 200951, September 5, 2012, 680 SCRA 306 at 323.