Drilon nephew surpasses Uncle Frank’s No. 3 ranking in ‘69 bar exams: ‘What happened?!’

Following the release of the 2014 Bar exam results on Thursday, Senate President Franklin is surely one happy man. Not only did his son, Patrick, pass the exams, his nephew, Christian, also clinched second place.

 

Christian, the valedictorian of his Ateneo law class who garnered a grade of 85.45 in the Bar, recalled how his uncle posed a challenge to him prior to the exams.

 

"He challenged me. Sabi niya, 'Hindi mo kaya iyong number 3. So ngayon, kaya ko nang sabihin, 'Oh anong nangyari?'" Christian said in an interview.

 

"Pero alam ko na sasabihan niya... mas mataas [pa rin] yung grade niya kaysa sa akin. Kaya iyon ine-expect kong isusumbat niya sa akin," he added.

 

The Senate President finished third in the 1969 Bar exams with a grade of 86.85 percent. Other famous names who took the 1969 Bar exams were its top-notcher San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

 

The passing grade for the 2014 Bar exams was lowered to 73 percent from the usual 75 percent. It was the third time the SC adjusted the passing grade.

The Supreme Court has yet to explain to the media why the passing rate was lowered.

 

Christian said he was also happy for his cousin and the senator's son, Patrick, for also making it to the list of passers. Patrick did not land in the Top 10 but passed the Bar just the same.

 

"Pumasa rin ang pinsan ko. Sabay kami nag-Bar," said Christian but added that pressure came not from his uncle and cousin, but mostly from his friends and officemates.

 

"Lahat ng blockmates ko and officemates and everyone sabi nila sure na iyan ang tanong na lang, anong place mo. Madali sa kanila sabihin iyon, pero for me, hindi nila alam na hindi ko natapos iyong isang exam, na sobrang hirap na hirap ako sa iba," he said.

 

But now, he said he finally feels relieved that the results are out and that he managed to end up in the top rung.

 

Christian is joined in the Top 10 by No. 1 Irene Mae Alcobilla from San Beda College, Manila (85.5) and 11 other law graduates from UP, Ateneo de Manila, Ateneo de Davao, De La Salle Lipa, University of Cebu, and FEU-DLSU.

 

Christian said he started eating healthier, exercised and prioritized sleep over studying, doing the same regimen for the better part of six months before the exams.

 

He said he would wake up at 4 a.m. to study and exercise. 

"I purposely devoted time to exercise because the last thing I wanted was to feel sleepy or tired or experience a mental block during the exams. That's what I was avoiding," Christian said.

 

Christian said he currently works as a paralegal for Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles law firm, and "I plan to continue working there."

 

He said he took a leave of absence today to await the Bar exam results, saying he would later celebrate with the rest of his law school block mates. —NB/TJD, GMA News