G.R. No. L-9915; October 30, 1914
THE UNITED STATES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. CHIEN SUEY, defendant-appellant.

FACTS:
The accused, Chien Suey, was charged before the Court of First Instance of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu with a violation of Section 31 of the Opium Law. The information alleged that on or about October 17, 1913, in the municipality of Jolo, he willfully and illegally had in his possession and under his control ten cans of opium without being duly authorized. The trial court convicted him and sentenced him to pay a fine of P1,000, with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency, and to pay the costs. The accused appealed the judgment.

ISSUE:
Whether the guilt of the accused was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

RULING:
No. The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of conviction and acquitted the accused. The Court found that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The opium allegedly found in the accused’s possession was not produced in court. The only testimony identifying the substance as opium came from an ignorant Moro woman who knew nothing about opium. Furthermore, the witnesses for the prosecution were enemies of the accused, and their testimony was not altogether reasonable and was, in part, contradictory. Given the failure to conclusively establish that the substance was opium and the questionable nature of the incriminating testimony, the Court was constrained to acquit the accused. Costs were ordered de officio.