The man tagged as the mastermind of a pawnshop robbery in Cebu City is now a lawyer. 

Jigger Capadngan Geverola is among the 3,812 examinees who passed the September 2023 Bar Examination announced on December 5, 2023 through the Facebook page of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. 

He was apprehended on November 28, 2023 in Barangay Gutlang, Argao town, Cebu Province for his alleged involvement in the heist of Oro Sugbu Pawnshop and Jewelry Store along Colon Street, Barangay Kalubihan, Cebu City. A group of men with long firearms, who pretended to be “NBI agents," destroyed display cases and ran away with pieces of jewelry estimated to be worth P3 million on November 25, 2023. 

Geverola said he is optimistic of his participation in the oath-taking on December 22, 2023 as one of the requirements of the Supreme Court of the Philippines for new lawyers.

He said he is set to help some 41 fellow persons under police custody, pro bono.

Geverola is under the custody of the Cebu City Police Office.

Further, Attorney Michael Francis Hubahib, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu chapter posted an official statement on his Facebook page.

The post, in full, reads:

"IBP CEBU’S OFFICIAL COMMENT ON MR. JIGGER GEVEROLA PASSING THE 2023 BAR EXAMINATIONS

The practice of law is a noble calling and anchored on the principles of justice, equity and upholding the rule of law.

It is a profession regulated and supervised by no less than the Supreme Court of the Philippines as laid down by the Section 2 of Rule 138 of the Rules of Court stating the requirements for admission to the bar, which provides:

SEC. 2. Requirements for all applicants for admission to the bar. — Every applicant for admission as a member of the bar must be a citizen of the Philippines, at least twenty-one years of age, of good moral character, and a resident of the Philippines; and must produce before the Supreme Court satisfactory evidence of good moral character, and that no charges against him, involving moral turpitude, have been filed or are pending in any court in the Philippines.

One of the requirements for a qualified person to apply to take the bar exams, aside from the educational requirements, is proof of good moral character, which necessary includes the proper disclosure of all pending or decided cases against the applicant of whatever nature whether civil, admin, criminal, if any.

Despite the existence of these cases, whether already decided or are still pending, it is the prerogative of the Supreme Court if they would allow applicants to provisionally take the bar examinations.

When an applicant passes the bar examinations, they do not automatically become lawyers. There are basically three general steps for an applicant to be officially called lawyers/atty., they must have passed the bar exams, took their oath as lawyers, and must have signed the roll of attorneys, only then can a person be considered a full-fledged lawyer and a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Now, prior to taking their oath and signing the roll of attorneys, these bar passers are required to secure a clearance from the OBC. For those applicants with pending cases against them or those with impediments, there is a good chance that they would not be given their respective clearances from the OBC unless they show proof that they have been cleared of the charges against them. So for these types of bar passers, there is a good chance that they would not be able take their oaths and sign the rolls with their batchmates

After the bar passer is cleared of all the charges against him/her, then the passer can file a Petition to Take the Lawyers Oath and Sign the Roll of Attorneys.

If the bar passer is convicted and is proven to possess poor moral character, then the Supreme Court may prevent his/her entry into the legal profession.

As to the cases against Mr. Geverola, whether the past or current charges against him, it is not my place nor the place of the IBP Cebu to comment. Mr. Geverola might have had a colorful past, but everybody has one, some might be more colorful than others, but still, we are in no position to judge him since everyone enjoys the right to due process, meaning that anyone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty, so we will let the courts of law decide.

As to the qualifications of Mr. Geverola to become a lawyer, he has already proven his intellectual qualifications when he passed the bar examinations, and he has earned that distinction because everyone who has taken the bar exams knows how hard it is to hurdle these exams, the sacrifices and the diligent studying a bar taker has to go through is very reigorous and we congratulate Mr. Geverola for his achievement, although a bit unfortunate for him that his accomplishment has been overshadowed by his current controversy.

Now, as per his moral qualifications, it would now be up to the Supreme Court.

To quote the Supreme Court, the practice of law is a privilege extended only to the few who possess the high standards of intellectual and moral qualifications and the Supreme Court is duty bound to prevent the entry of undeserving aspirants. Which means the Supreme Court alone can eventually decide the fate of Mr. Geverola."