By Herdy La. Yumul
AFTER the university handed diplomas to the
first batch of law graduates last April, it inches closer to producing lawyers.
Thirteen MMSU barristers are
currently taking the 2013 bar examinations which started on October 6 and shall
carry on in the next three Sundays of October at the University of Santo Tomas
(UST), Manila.
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In support to the examinees, the
College of Law (COL) conducted its bar operations (BarOps) to assist and
motivate the examinees. Two days before the first examination day, six
professors led by lawyer Brian Jay Corpuz, the college secretary, and 15
student leaders travelled to Manila for this purpose.
In charge of the MMSU BarOps are Law
Student Council grand chancellor McArthur Aguinaldo, student leader and Pinili
councilor Maynard Bumanglag, and lawyer Melver Tolentino who has very strong
ties with his alma mater, the San Beda College of Law (SBC Law).
On Saturday, the MMSU examinees
checked in at the Waterfornt Manila Pavillion Hotel, where SBC Law hopefuls
were also billeted. The BarOps team assisted the barristers with their food,
transportation, and with other errands. They were also on the lookout for last
minute tips and review materials.
Other COL professors who joined the
first BarOps weekend were lawyers Esperanza Orig, Eric Cua, and John Paul
Martin, and Judge Myra Nalupta.
Unlike other schools which brought
marching bands and conducted gimmicks, the MMSU send-off was simple. They
huddled in prayer before going to the venue, and accompanied the examinees
until they entered UST’s Gate 4 before the scheduled 8 am start for the first
subject. The morning session ended at 12 noon. The afternoon session was
started at 2 pm and ended at 6 pm.
Members of the BarOps team stayed in
a nearby recreation area while waiting for the examinees to emerge from the
gate.
During the first day, the barristers
tackled political law and labor law. Other subjects to be tackled in the next
three Sundays are civil law, taxation, commercial law, criminal law, remedial
law, and legal ethics.
The examination is composed of 80
percent essay questions and 20 percent multiple choice questions (MCQ). The use
of MCQs in the Philippine Bar Examinations was first introduced in 2011.
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice
Arturo Brion, a labor law expert, is chair of this year’s bar examinations. He
topped the bar examinations in 1974.
Two of the 15 MMSU law graduates
decided not to take the bar examinations yet but joined the BarOps to
acclimatize themselves with what is largely considered as one of the toughest
bar examinations in the world, next only to South Korea, which conducts oral
tests and has an average passing rate of only five percent.
Seventeen percent hurdled last
year’s edition of the Philippine Bar Examinations.
Lawyer Ramon A. LeaƱo, COL dean,
expressed confidence that the MMSU barristers will turn in good results. While
he noted that some examinees are better prepared than others, he said MMSU did
its best to help all 13 examinees make their mark.
The 13 MMSU barristers are: Anna
Marie G. Antonio, Fleurdeliz F. Credo, Dandy L. Cruz, Enrique A. Gallardo, May
Encarnina P. Gaoiran, Ernielinio B. Labrador, Rowel Jake L. Leonador, Moera Joy
N. Galing-luna, Kristelle Joy Ann B. Quibuyen, Justine Precius A. Taggaoa,
Mayvelyn P. Tajon, Ma. Trinidad A. Unciano, and Rizza Joy S. Vallesteros.
They took bar review classes at San
Beda College, San Sebastian College, University of Sto. Tomas, and the Albano
Bar Review Center.
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