The five law schools in Davao City, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur produced a total of 107 new lawyers, results of the 2016 bar examinations released Wednesday revealed. This is the biggest number of new lawyers ever produced by the region.
Leading the pack is the Ateneo de Davao University law school which produced 24 brand new members of the legal professionals, including a topnotcher who ranked 5th in the test.
All 24 takers from the AdDU law school headed by Dean Manuel Quibod hurdled the test for an unprecedented 100 percent passing rate of first-time takers, breaking its own record. (For the list of Ateneo de Davao passers, please accompanying story on this same page.)
Advincula, Reta, Ortonio, Pinol among 36 UM exam passers
Actually, the pioneering Davao law school of the University of Mindanao (UM) has the most number of exam passers in the Davao area, 36 all in all, combining first-time takers and repeaters. The UM college of legal education is headed by Dean Jess Zachael Espejo.
UM is followed by the relatively new law school of Cor Jesu College in Digos City, Davao del Sur with a total of 34.
Sources close to Dr. Guillermo “Willie” P. Torres Jr., UM president, told Edge Davao the passers comprise 63.2 per cent of all those who took the examination.
Among the UM passers were Emmanuel G. Ortonio, brother of Lemuel, City investment promotion officer; Marionne Josephas M. Reta, daughter of former Sasa barangay captain Mario Reta; and Efren Pinol Jr., son of former Magpet, North Cotabato Efren Sr. and nephew of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Pinol and Bai Hundra Cassandra D. Advincula, a granddaughter of a former city councilor, the late veteran lawyer Victorio S. Avincula Sr., whose son, Victorio Jr. is an incumbent city councilor.
Actually, Secretary Pinol also has a niece who passed the exam –Atty. Bernice Pinol, a daughter of a brother. Bernice is a graduate of the Cor Jesu law school.
Others who passed from UM are Siena Katrina K. Adolfo, Aimee May D. Agbayani, Jovito Arquit, Rachel Mernil Maratas Bacera, Rabmor T. Bartolome, Mel Federico D. Bernardino, Pedro A. Bongas Jr., Arsenio E. Caballero Jr., Hasnia P. Casan, Lisa Jane D. Cenona, Ahamedsiddique B. Dalam. Aiza D. Fahad, Umar M. Genita, Mohajiroe Lauban, Hazel Ivory R. Laud, Mary Lorraine A. Macasa, Rendel C. Mangliwan, Ludy Rose D. Marcelo, Fely Maiz Morata, Emmanuel G. Ortonio, Herman Jae C. Padernal II, Donna Mae H. Padua, Jocel G. Paquera, Mark T. Penalver, Efren L. Pinol Jr., Marionne Josephas M. Reta, Rino Geronimo J. Sagaral, Luchie G. Sasing, Dennis C. Sayco, Hedee Ezza T. Sinel, Israelito V. Taclob, Darryl June Luigi P. Tape, Leah Bianca S. Togonon, Jonathan P. Uy and Iryshell P. Villegas.
Cor Jesu produces 34 new lawyers
The college of law of Cor Jesu College in Digos City, Davao del Sur produced 34 new lawyers in the 2016 bar examinations.
The Cor Jesu law school is headed by Dean Genevieve Brandares-Paulino.
The new lawyers from Cor Jesu are: Katrina Joy Angelo, Ma. Angela Baquiran, Melissa Camille Basa,
Lou Bertini Benjamin , Ryonel Cabardo, Erick John Cabuslay, Nancy Jermae Cajes,
Lady Jade Canada, Pearl Angeli Canada, Nikkolo Cortez, Euangeli Doromal, Alexis Enriquez,
Randolf Esparagoza, Charlotte Gallego, Camille Gestuveo, Jarissa Guiani, Renan Lasala,
Ancisse Juris Leak, Carlo Martel, Lyndon Monday, Shermin Monteza, Irving Occena,
Denise Alexandra Olaguer, Ma. Cecilia Oliva, Alfie Omega, Jann Roby Otero, Bernel Padawag,
Haj Pernes, Bernice Pinol, Ryan Reyes, Myrie Ellennel Rosete, Joebuena Rosilio,
Jose Leon Vencer, and Mario Raymond Yap.
St. Thomas More and St. Mary’s
The St. Thomas More college of law in Tagum City under Dean Rodolfo Rapista also produced six new lawyers. The six are Melissa Nikolai Mesias Ansaldo, Don Nico Gustilo Sanchez, Lourdes Angelie Opena Edig, Geoffrey Pantojan Navarra Jr., Carla Blanca Soterol Maiso and Tirso Salomon Lasay Jr.
Two out of four examinees from SMCT-College of Law under Dean Armand Seras also passed the 2016 bar exams. They are Daniel D. Besina Jr. and Nylor Jay T. Astronomo.
6 law schools now in Davao region
The number of lawyers is expected to increase more dramatically in the near future as the Davao Region now has a total of six colleges of law – Ateneo, UM and Jose Maria College (JMC) in Davao City, Cor Jesu in Digos and St. Thomas More and St. Mary’s Academy in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. The youngest law school is that of JMC headed by Dean Israelito Torreon, who was formerly law dean of Cor Jesu.
Successful lawyers will be taking oath on May 22 at the Mall of Asia Arena. (Many of the names of the passers were supplied by Dean Israelito Torreon of the JMC Law School.- Editor)
