Ateneo student tops 2012 Bar exams

MANILA, Philippines - A student of the Ateneo de Manila University topped the 2012 Bar exams, the Supreme Court announced Wednesday.

The SC said Ateneo student Ignatius Michael Ingles topped the examination with 85.640 percent followed by his schoolmate, Catherine Beatrice King Kay with 84.720 percent and April Carmela Lacson of the University of the Philippines with 84.480 percent.

The other Bar examinees who made it to the Top 10 were:

Xavier Jesus Romualdo - Ateneo de Manila University (84.100 percent)
Maria Graciela Base - University of the Philippines (83.990 percent)
Jose Maria Angel Machuca - Ateneo de Manila University (83.990 percent)
Patrick Henry Salazar - University of the Philippines (83.710 percent)
Ralph Karlo Barcelona - Aquinas University (83.430 percent)
Marvyn Llamas - Ateneo de Manila University (83.290 percent)
Carlo Martin Li - Ateneo de Manila University (83.270 percent)
Francis Palo Tiopiangco - University of the Philippines (83.250 percent)

Associate Justice Martin Villarama, chairperson of the 2012 Bar exam committee, said that only 949 or 17 percent of the 5,686 total number of law graduates who took the examination passed.

Last year's passing rate was the lowest since the year 2000.

The exam's passing score was 70.76 percent.

Villarama announced that the oath-taking of Bar passers will be held on Apr. 24, 2013 at 2:00 in the afternoon at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Click here to view the complete list of Bar passers