More than 3,000 new lawyers take oath today

EXPECT a considerable crowd today at the Mall of Asia Arena, but not like the assorted weekend gathering of shoppers, as the Supreme Court (SC) welcomes 3,747 new lawyers who are scheduled to take their oath there.

Presiding over the oathtaking are the high court justices sitting in a special en banc session today.

Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr., chair of the 115th Bar Examination, said that, considering the sheer number of examinees who passed the exam, the ceremony will be held at a bigger venue, the Mall of Asia Arena.

The 2016 Bar Examinations marked a record- high passing rate for the SC with 59.06% of the 6,381 admitted candidates. This was the second highest passing rate, following the 1954 Bar Examinations that recorded 75.17%.

It was also the first time that no university from the National Capital Region placed in the Top 10. Eight graduates from Visayas law universities dominated the list.

Karen Mae I. Calam of the University San Carlos in Cebu emerged as the topnotcher with 89.05%.

Second to get the highest grade is Alanna Gayle Ashley Khio of Siliman University in Negros Oriental with 88.95% while Fiona Cristy Lao also of the University of San Carlos and Athalia Liong of Andres Bonifacio College in Dipolog City shared the third spot with 88.80%.

Allana Mae Babayen- On of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo placed fourth with 88.75%, followed by Justin Ryan Morilla of Ateneo de Davao University with 88.40%, Mark Dave Camarao of Northwestern University in Ilocos Norte with 88.10%, Anne Margaret Momongan of the University of San Carlos with 87.80%, Jefferson Gomez also of the University of San Carlos with 87.70, while Nia Rachelle Gonzales of the University of Batangas and Marie Chielo Ybio of Siliman University shared the 9th place with 87.50%.

In 10th place is Andrew Stephen Liu of Siliman University with a rating of 87.45%.

Bar examiners were retired SC Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura for political law and public international law, SC Associate Justice Noel G. Tijam for remedial law, Court of Appeals Justices Magdangal M. De Leon for labor laws and social legislation, Japar B. Dimaampao for civil law, Ramon Paul Hernando for mercantile law, Victoria Isabel A. Paredes for criminal law, Myra V. GarciaFernandez for ethics and practical exercises; and Court of Tax Appeals Justice Lovell R. Bautista for taxation.