Nani’s son blamed for Bar exam leak

A son of former justice secretary Hernando Perez was allegedly the source of the leak of last Sunday’s Bar examinations in mercantile law, sources said yesterday.

A former Malacañang official told The STAR that Perez’s son was a member of Utopia, a fraternity at the Ateneo Law School. He is now a lawyer connected with the Balgos Law Office.

The leak was reportedly discovered by a member of a rival fraternity who passed on the information until it reached Justice Jose Vitug, chairman of this year’s Bar examinations.

A member of Utopia fraternity reportedly admitted before national television that they got a copy of the questions before the mercantile law examinations were administered last Sunday.

The leak has prompted the Supreme Court to nullify last Sunday’s mercantile law Bar exams and ordered the 5,455 Bar examinees to retake the test.

As this developed, President Arroyo ordered the concerned agencies to enforce more stringent measures to prevent leakages during Bar examinations.

Mrs. Arroyo issued the directive yesterday as she expressed disgust over reports that some examinees already knew beforehand questions in the mercantile law exam last Sunday.

"I am appalled that would-be lawyers are capable of, or can get away with such dishonesty. This is a grave threat to the integrity of our justice system," Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President also expressed confidence that the people behind the leak would be identified and charged accordingly.

Vitug has said the Supreme Court is forming a panel to investigate the leak on last Sunday’s examination. — With Mayen Jaymalin, Aurea Calica