SC refers for review the proposal to hold Bar examination outside Manila

CEBU, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) is studying a proposal to hold the annual Bar examinations outside of Manila.

In a one-page resolution released yesterday, the SC directed its Committee on Bar Examinations to look into a request of the Cebu City council for the exams to be held in the Visayas or Mindanao for examinees from the south.

"The Court resolved, upon the recommendation of the Office of the Bar Confidant, to refer this matter to the Committee on Bar Examinations for consideration," read the order signed by lawyer Enriqueta Vidal, SC clerk of court.

The Office of Bar Confidant is a permanent, full-time office in the SC.

The OBC, headed by lawyer Cristina Layusa, provides administrative support for the exams and the post-exam activities, beginning from the filing of the petition to take the exams up to the signing in the Roll of Attorneys.

Lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City Chapter told The FREEMAN that this has also been the decision of SC to address previous requests. 

"No, they already did in the past but like I said such request is not granted," she said.

Bathan said that for longest time, they have lobbied for Bar examinations to be held in Visayas and Mindanao, but for some reason, the SC has never granted it. Bar examinations, traditionally, have been done in Manila.

However, she hopes that this time, the higher court will grant the request of the Cebu City Sangguniang Panlungsod.

"I hope this time around, the SC will seriously consider holding examinations in the Visayas and Mindanao as this will most definitely be beneficial to the barristers from this region," she said, adding this will equalize the playing field.

Further, she said that before the bombing incident in 2010 where a Cebuano law student was tagged as one of the suspects, the IBP already lobbied for the holding of exams outside Manila.

Bathan said holding Bar examinations outside Manila is possible.

"Given the technology and following perhaps the one used by PRC for multiple choice questions, I believe it is very doable," Bathan added. (FREEMAN)