949 new lawyers to take oath tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines - A total of  949 law graduates who passed the 2012 Bar Examinations are set to take their oath as ‘officers of the court’ before the Supreme Court in a special En Banc session Wednesday April 24, at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Among those attending the oath taking rite is SC Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., head of the the 2012 Committee on the Bar Examinations.

The Bar examiners Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza (Political and Public International Law), Court of Appeals (CA) Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr. (Labor and Social Legislation), Atty. Jesus Manalastas (Civil Law), Atty. Victorino Mamalateo (Taxation), Atty. Lily Gruba (Mercantile Law), Judge Thelma Allena-Ponferrada (Criminal Law), Sandiganbayan Justice Rafael Lagos (Remedial Law), and CA Justice Manuel Barrios (Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises) are also expected to grace the event.

The Office of the Bar Confidant will continue to process clearances, a necessary step towards the oathtaking, until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
 
Meanwhile, Bar passers who have not yet secured their clearance should take note of the following reminders:

OBC requires each Bar passer to show two valid identification cards at the start of the clearance process.

It is recommended that each Bar passer bring at least three valid IDs since SC visitors are required to leave one valid ID with the SC security guards stationed at the main gate in Padre Faura Street.

Successful examinees must secure their clearances personally. Processing of clearance through a representative is not allowed.

Each successful Bar examinee is required to pay a total of P4,300 before the Oath-Taking Ceremonies. The clearance from the OBC is required to be presented to the SC Cashier for the payment of P3,100 (P3,000 Bar admission fee plus P100 certification fee.)

The same clearance is to be presented to the representative of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (stationed at the OBC) for the payment of P1,200 (P1,000 IBP annual membership dues plus P200 building fund fee.)

During the oathtaking ceremonies, only those in toga will be allowed to enter the Plenary Hall of the PICC.
Bar passers who will be attending the Oathtaking may rent gowns for P250 from the toga rental service stationed near the SC main gate.

The High Court released the results of the 2012 Bar Examinations, after meeting in a Special En Banc session last March 20.

A total of 5,343 law graduates took the Bar exams in October 2012.

The 949 who passed represent 17.76 percent of those who took and completed the examinations.  Of the 5,686 admitted to take the Bar test, only 5,343, however, were able to complete the four-Sunday examination.

Ignatius Michael Ingles of the Ateneo de Manila University obtained a rating of 85.64 percent, the highest rating  for this year’s Bar examinations. - Dennis Carcamo