Bar topnotchers are mostly from Ateneo, UP

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court on Saturday said out of the 5,626 law graduates who took the Bar examinations last year only 1,289 or 22.91 percent passed. Four of the 10 bar topnotchers are from the Ateneo University, while three are from the University of the Philippines. Mercedita L. Ona, a graduate of the Ateneo topped the exam with a rating of 83.55 percent, followed by Jennifer T. Ong of UP with 83.35 percent. Another Atenean, Yvanna DL Maalat placed third (82.75%). Fourth was Jennie C. Aclan of of University of San Carlos (82.10%), while fifth was John Michael S. Galauran of University of Nueva Caceres (81.60%). Sixth to the 10th placers are: Karen S. Canullas of the San Sebastian College (81.40%); Cecille L. Mejia of Ateneo and Sheryl Ann D. Tizon of UP who tied in the seventh place (81.35%); Marforth T. Fua of San Beda College (81.20%); Ruby M. Luy of Ateneo de Davao University (81.15%); and Christian B. Llido of the University of Cebu and Vivian Tan of UP who tied in the 10th place (80.90%). According to data from the high court's Office of the Bar Confidant, 5,626 out of 5,799 law graduates from 109 law schools nationwide completed the four-Saturday examination at the De La Salle University on Taft Avenue, Manila. The 22.91 percent of passage in the 2007 bar exam was the fourth lowest result in the last eight years. The lowest percentage for the said period was in 2002, where only 19.68 percent of examinees passed the bar. The second lowest was in 2003 with 20.17 percent, while the third was in 2000 with 20.84 percent. The 2003 bar exam was marred by controversy when the Court ordered a retake of the Mercantile law due to alleged questionnaire leakage. The first bar exam was held in 1901, with 13 examinees, while the 2007 bar examination held last September was the 107th. The 2001 bar exam had the highest number of passers - 1,266 out of 3,849 examinees, or 32.89 percent, while the 2006 exam had the highest examinees - 6,187. - AR Sabangan, GMANews.TV