Leonen warns Bar examinees: Writing prayers may lead to disqualification

The Supreme Court has warned Bar examinees against writing mantras, mottos, or prayers to saints as well as special pleas to the examiner as this may lead to disqualification from the Bar examinations.

“Do not write a mantra, motto, prayer to deities or saints, special plea addressed to the examiner or the Bar Chairperson, or any other such extraneous text,” Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the Bar exam chairperson, said in a 14-page bulletin.

“Leaving or making any distinguishing mark in any submitted answer is classified as cheating and can disqualify the examinee from the whole Bar Examinations,” he added.

According to Leonen, the examinations test both honor and excellence.

"Remember that it is not worth passing the exams when you do so by being dishonest or by making others suffer,” he said.

“Start your legal career with the nobility, capacity for leadership, and empathy that our profession deserves,” he later added.

COVID-19 guidelines

The Bar exams will take for four Sundays starting January 16, 2022.

Due to this, examinees are urged to undergo self-quarantine starting January 2.

They must also present vaccination cards and COVID-19 test results upon entry during every Bar Sunday, according to Leonen.

Fully vaccinated examinees may present antigen test results, taken within 48 hours before examinations, as well as their vaccination cards.

A free-of-charge antigen testing of fully vaccinated examinees will be done every Friday and Saturday before the Sunday exams at the site designated by the Office of the Bar Chairperson. The schedule will be sent via email.

Meanwhile, unvaccinated examinees must present saliva or nasal RT-PCR test results, administered by an accredited Department of Health facility within 72 hours, at his or her own cost.

“One is considered fully vaccinated only after two weeks of having received the second dose in the case of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after having received the sole dose of a single-dose vaccine,” he said.

Meanwhile, those who test positive will not be allowed to take the exam. They will then be placed under quarantine.

The SC previously decided to postpone the 2020 Bar examinations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — RSJ, GMA News