UST hosts more than 7,000 Bar examinees amid tight security

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Photo by Vladlynn Nona Maryse L. Tadeo

THE UNIVERSITY welcomed more than 7,000 examinees from all over the country on Sunday as it hosted the Bar Examinations for the seventh straight year.

The total number of examinees increased to 7,290, higher than last year’s 6,831 examinees.

UST had a total of 96 first-time examinees this year, Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina said.

The UST Main Building and the Benavides, San Martin de Porres, and St. Raymund de Peñafort buildings were designated as testing venues for examinations to be held on four Sundays of November. The Tan Yan Kee Student Center serves as the Supreme Court’s campus headquarters.

Strict security measures were implemented within and outside the campus, with personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), UST Security Office, Manila Police District, Supreme Court security, the Philippine Coast Guard, Metro Manila Development Authority, Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and the National Bureau of Investigation.

PNP Senior Insp. Philipp Ines said an estimated 360 police officers were deployed to the University to ensure peace and order during the examinations.

UST Security Chief Joseph Badinas said the Supreme Court set up a “mobile court” for people arrested on sight for violent behavior.

“Kapag meron nanggulo sa labas… hahatulan ka agad doon [sa mobile court]. So may fiscal na naka-duty,” Badinas told the Varsitarian.

Ines said the start of this year’s Bar Exams was more organized in terms of traffic policies, even as authorities decided to open the streets of Lacson and España to traffic.

“Last year sinara natin ‘yung Lacson-España on the first Sunday. This year hindi natin sinara, mas organized, mas maayos ang daloy ng trapiko. Walang mga grupo-grupo na nakapwesto [sa labas]. Magtataka kayo dito [sa España] bakit walang naka-obstruct kasi ginawa nating drop-off point ito,” Ines said.

The Office of the Bar Confidant and the office of Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, chairman of the Bar Exams and a former faculty member of Civil Law, are in charge of the Bar exams, with the assistance of the University.

The exams, which will all be essay questions, cover political law, labor law, civil law, taxation, mercantile law, criminal law, remedial law, and legal and judicial ethics.

A liquor ban and a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages will be enforced during the four examination days in November.

‘Honor and redemption’

Divina said the performance of Thomasians in the Bar Exams would give “redemption” to Civil Law and the University.

“We are ready to give honor and redemption to our beloved UST and its Faculty of Civil Law. We will do well in the bar exams, “ Divina said in a Facebook post on Nov. 4.

Last year, UST recorded a 96.25-percent passing rate with 77 passing the exams out of 80 first-time examinees.

Divina said the Bar takers should put prayer and study side by side.

“I want them to be reminded of the power of prayer, mortification and action, as well as the need for self confidence. They have to pray as if everything depends on prayer but they have to study as if everything depends on study,” Divina told the Varsitarian in a text message. I

1 COMMENT

  1. Aside from a high passing rate, i hope that we can place topnotchers in this year’s bar exams. More importantly i hope the future lawyers will not use their knowledge of the law to abuse and marginalize other people.

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