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Bar exams
I had a chance to talk with lawyer Baldomero Estenzo, dean in the College of Law of one of universities here in Cebu. Despite being an opposing counsel of the administrative case I filed against his client at the Department of Health (DOH) 7, we had an open-minded discussion that shifted from the dispute at hand to the rigors of the Bar exams.
We surprisingly have the same desire and aspiration for the Bar examination to be decentralized with Cebu City, being a premier city, as one of the places where the Bar exams could be held.
Many failed the Bar exams not because schools outside of Manila are not well-equipped or its law graduates are inferior. Many failed because of environmental factors coupled with lack of financial back-ups.
When I took the Bar exams many years ago, it was held at the De la Salle University (DLSU) in September (now November). In order to save funds, I arrived a week before the exam and landed in a cramped room in UP Bliss with three other Bar candidates.
Food was scarce because it was expensive. I rode a jeepney going to UP to attend pre-week review and also had to ride a bus for almost two hours to Taft Ave. during Sunday’s exam, which started at 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. That meant waking up as early as 3 a.m. This while our counterparts in the place were enjoying the comfort of their own backyard.
Then one member of the family suffered from illness. I decided to go home unable to finish the exam just to save the life of my child who suffered from dengue fever. My only regret is that I never attempted to confront the dreaded Bar exams again.
Atty. Estenzo informed me that they have filed a petition with the Supreme Court to decentralize the Bar examination. I was elated although this was not new.
Many attempts were made before but to no avail.
We had two Cebuanos who became Supreme Court Chief Justice, Marcelo Fernan (1988 to 1991) and Hilario Davide (1998 to 2005), respectively but none of them were able to sway other authorities to concur with the lobby for the decentralization of the Bar exams.
Atty. Estenzo relied on Section 1 Article III of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution proclaiming “no person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”
Also, the argument that the traditional “situs” of the Bar examination should be Manila is unconstitutional and constitutes class legislation.
So I am calling on all Bar candidates for this year’s examination and all law students in Cebu’s law schools to throw their all-out support for this cause. --
Sonny A. Rivera of Ward II, Minglanilla, Cebu
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 04, 2015.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 04, 2015.
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