Bar exam blast probe panel releases recommendations
MANILA, Philippines—Starting next year, law schools will oversee the traditional “bar operations” of fraternities, sororities and other groups to prevent a repeat of the violence that marred the Sept. 26 bar examinations.
This was among the recommendations that a special Supreme Court committee formed to investigate the grenade attack submitted to Chief Justice Renato Corona, Supreme Court administrator and spokesman Midas Marquez said Wednesday.
However, only 10 pages of the 50-page report were released to the media.
“This report would be helpful… for the conduct of future bar examinations. It contains the security protocols and guidelines,” Marquez said in a press conference.
The report, prepared by the body headed by Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., was made public nearly two weeks after it was submitted to Corona.
Marquez said the tribunal decided not to divulge the findings on the criminal liabilities of certain personalities in deference to the ongoing investigation being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“Anyway, those (proposals) about the criminal aspect have already been superseded by the events that transpired after the submission of the report,” he said, referring to the surrender of principal suspect Anthony Nepomuceno and the filing of charges against him.
According to Marquez, the committee report would be presented to the court en banc and Associate Justice Roberto Abad, the chair of the 2011 bar exams.
He said it would be up for Abad which recommendations would be adopted to ensure the safety of those taking the bar exams.
While the report did not identify any persons who could be behind the attack, he said the information given to the committee were “consistent” with the recent developments of the case.
“The initial information that the NBI has been giving the court is consistent with what are coming out in the reports from the justice department,” Marquez said.
Among the committee’s recommendations were:
• For the NBI to continue its investigation and bring the case to its conclusion;
• For the NBI to immediately start the prosecution of the suspects that it had identified;
• For the Manila Police District to pursue its own investigation of the incident;
• Strictly enforce the modified Supreme Court guidelines on the bar exams;
• To consider the “bar operations” as official school activity;
Put up perimeter fences 200 meters away from the venue of the bar exams from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and;
• Order school authorities to regulate the traditional “salubong” festivities.
Since most frat and sorority members attending the bar operations are also law students, Marquez said deans of law schools should have jurisdiction and “command responsibility” over them.
“The recommendation is for these activities near the exam venues be considered an extension of their respective schools and (treat it) as an academic activity,” he said.
Corona, he said, would closely monitor the probe of the incident “until there’s final conviction for all those behind this crime.”
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