Univ. of St. La Salle Bacolod law grad tops 2017 Bar Exams

A law graduate from the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod topped the 2017 Bar exams, the Supreme Court said Thursday.

University of St. La Salle Bacolod law graduate Mark John Simondo topped the bar with a score of 91.05 percent, according to Associate Justice Lucas P. Bersamin.

Simondo is among the 1,724 examinees who passed the Bar out of the 6,748 takers.

He was followed by Christianne Mae Balili of the University of San Carlos, with a rating of 90.80 percent.

Here is the rest of the Top 10:

• Camille B. Remoroza, Ateneo de Davao University, 90.70 percent
• IvanneD'laureil I. Hisoler, University of San Carlos, 89.55 percent
• Monica Anne Yap, San Beda College - Manila, 89.45 percent
• Lorenzo Luigi Gayya, University of Sto. Tomas,  89.10 percent
• Rheland S. Servacio, University of San Carlos, 89.00 percent
• Krizza Fe Alcantara-Bagni, St. Mary's University, 88.90 percent
• AlgieKwillon Mariacos, San Beda College Manila, 88.90 percent
• Klinton Torralba, University of Sto. Tomas, 88.65 percent
• Emma Ruby Aguilar, University of Sto. Tomas, 88.40 percent

Departing from usual practice, Bersamin also announced the top scorers up to the 20th spot:

• Lyan David Juanico, San Beda College - Manila, 88.35 percent
• Lougenia Cariño, San Beda College - Manila, 87.85 percent
• Arman Joseph Guzman, University of Sto. Tomas, 87.75 percent
• Jewelle Ann Lou Santos, Ateneo De Manila University, 87.65 percent
• Stephanie Claros, University of San Jose - Recoletos, 87.55 percent
• Rhea Doll Gonzalo, Xavier University, 87.55 percent
• Nadia Christine Mendiguarin, Saint Louis University, 87.55 percent
• Eileen Carla Carpio, San Beda College - Manila, 87.40 percent
• Ella Mae Mendoza, University of Cebu, 87.35 percent
• Aecaya Christine Calero, University of Sto. Tomas, 87.15 percent
• Pretz Vernice Vinluan, University of the Philippines, 87.10 percent
• Roniel Resurreccion, Jose Rizal University, 86.95 percent

Click here for the full list of passers.

The successful Bar takers will take their oath on June 1 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), according to the SC.

A total of 7,227 law graduates have been allowed by the Supreme Court (SC) to take the 2017 Bar examinations on all four Sundays of November at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila.

But almost 500 takers failed to show up for the first of the four Sundays, whittling down the number of examinees to under 7,000.

Karen Mae L. Calam, a student from the University of San Carlos, topped the Bar exams in 2016 with a grade of 89.05 %. She was followed by Alanna Gayle Ashley Khio of the Silliman University in Negros Oriental, with a rating of 88.9500 percent.

For that year's exams, a total of 3,747 out of the 6,344 examinees passed, or a passing rate of 59.06 percent.

Then-Bar Chair Presbitero Velasco Jr. said the 2016 passing rate broke the 16-year-old record of 39.63 percent set in 1998.

The Bar examination covers eight subjects: Political Law, Civil Law, Taxation, Labor Law, Criminal Law, Remedial Law, Mercantile Law, and Legal and Judicial Ethics. — MDM/KBK, GMA News