2016 bar exams end safely, merrily

Police remained vigilant as examinees were welcomed by friends and families with balloons and banners in the annual “Salubong” tradition.

Published

8 years ago

November 28, 2016

Nhuj Pascua

Photo by Audrey Fontilla

With tight security enforced by police since day one, the 2016 bar examinations concluded peacefully and full of merrymaking, Sunday, Nov. 27.

Sr. Insp. Pidencio Saballo of the Sampaloc Police Station said that they deployed policemen to crowded areas to avoid possible fraternity brawls.

“Meron din po kaming mga naka-civilian na pulis para nakikihalo sila doon sa mga tao,” Saballo said.

Police remained vigilant as examinees were welcomed by friends and families with balloons and banners in the annual “Salubong” tradition.

As the examination ended, aspiring lawmakers paraded from España Boulevard to Dapitan street to celebrate and relieve stress.

“May stress pa na may leakage kaya added stress pa, pero buti na lang, tapos na,” said Sybil Tropicales, a bar candidate from the University.

Supreme Court (SC) bar confidant Maria Cristina Layusa said that only around 6,300 examinees made it to the final day, out of the 6,831 barristers who took the exam last Nov. 5.

“May mga nagba-backout, tinatapos na lang ‘yung morning exam, [tapos] hindi na babalik,” Layusa said.

She also said that the University would most likely still hold the bar examinations next year.

“Dito kasi sa UST, we feel that the candidates are secured,” she said.

Results are expected to be released either on the last week of April or the first week of May.

Alleged leak

The high court belied rumors that the Criminal Law and Commercial Law exams were leaked.

In a statement released Nov. 24, the Office of the Bar Chairperson conducted an investigation and confirmed that all the questions remained confidential before the scheduled exam.

Civil Law Student Council President James Ballecer also confirmed that the allegation was just a rumor.

“Kasi until and unless mag-release ng official statement yung Supreme Court, that’s the time na magkakaroon talaga ng basis as to kung mai-invalidate ‘yung exams,” Ballecer said.

Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina refused to comment on the issue. – C. Dumaua and E.M. Bola

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Dagohoy: No need to release statement on Marcos burial

Dagohoy explained that he respects the sentiment of the Thomasian community on the issue.

Published

8 years ago

December 20, 2016

Nhuj Pascua

UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy told TomasinoWeb that there is no reason for the University administration to release a statement on the burial of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos as student councils and organizations have already made their own statements.

“Well, mayroon namang ginawang actions ang mga Thomasian. I have seen the statement issued by the Central Student Council (CSC) and other Thomasians,” Dagohoy said after the Paskuhan Mass.

However, Dagohoy told TomasinoWeb that the University is against Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. He also hit historical revisionism in his homily and warned of a looming darkness in the country.

The University still has not released a statement about the burial, treading the opposite path of other “Big Four” schools as the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University have released condemnation statements about a month ago.

But the CSC, along with other student councils, organizations and political parties have released their own statements regarding the stealthy burial of Marcos last Nov. 19.

The CSC has also distributed black ribbons to students to show their opposition to the burial. The council also organized a candle lighting ceremony and prayer vigil titled “Tomasino para sa Bayan”.

UST was the only “Big Four” school which was absent during the Nov. 30 protest at the People Power Monument in Quezon City which saw UP Chancellor Michael Tan, Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jett Villarin, and De La Salle Philippines President Jose Mari Jimenez coming onstage in solidarity with the protest.

However, Thomasians were still present in the Nov. 19, Nov. 25 and Nov. 30 protests against the burial.

Dagohoy explained that he respects the sentiment of the Thomasian community on the issue.

“Well, we cannot actually separate the feelings or the sentiments of one sector of the [Thomasian] community; so that could mean, when we support and when we agree with the statement of one sector, that means we upheld the sentiments.” –C.C.M.

Editor’s Note: Parts of this story has been previously published in a Dec. 16 article titled “ Darkness looms in PH, Dagohoy warns”.

Nhuj Pascua

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Big News Row 2

Nartates: CSC chose not to join anti-Marcos protests for safety

UST was the only “Big Four” school which was absent during the Nov. 30 protest at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.

Published

8 years ago

December 6, 2016

Nhuj Pascua

Photo by Joe Lugti

Central Student Council (CSC) President Janela Love Nartates said that the council chose not to participate in the recent nationwide anti-Marcos protests to discourage other students from joining for their safety.

“‘Yung protest, hindi kami sumali, not because we are pro. We have a stand and we believe, the Central Student Council (sic). We are not encouraging students to go for the sake of their safety,” Nartates told TomasinoWeb at the sidelines of the CSC-led prayer vigil “Tomasino para sa Bayan.”

“We are hoping that the students will see that we are doing some actions for them to understand na we don’t need to go to protests to voice out our feelings. We can offer it peacefully,” she said.

She said that candle lighting and praying are much more peaceful alternatives to massive street protests like the ones which overthrew former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and ousted former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.

“We try to make another kind of movement, like lighting the candles and praying for the Philippines. Just because we didn’t go there, doesn’t mean na wala kaming pake,” she said.

UST was the only “Big Four” school which was absent during the Nov. 30 protest at the People Power Monument in Quezon City.

UP Chancellor Michael Tan, Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jett Villarin, and De La Salle Philippines President Jose Mari Jimenez went onstage in solidarity with the protest.

However, some Thomasians joined the protest along with students from UP, Ateneo and La Salle. Together with other activists, they formed a 3,000-strong contingent on White Plains Avenue.

Lack of student involvement

The CSC was expecting most students from the University to join the prayer vigil and candle lighting ceremony, however, only around 50 students joined the gathering.

“On the actions of the [Thomasian] community, somehow kulang pa. Like the prayer today, we are planning to have another segment pa, para makita ng students na may ginagawa regarding the issues, not just the Marcos burial, but other issues that affect our country,” said Nartates.

Central Board of Students spokesperson Nykko Bautista lamented that Thomasians cannot be mobilized even for a simple prayer vigil.

“Mapapansin natin na kahit nag-start na ‘yung Central Student Council, nag-call na for action, kahit simpleng prayer lang, wala masyadong pumunta, prayer rally na nga lang. Bakit hindi pa rin sila pumunta, kahit simple na nga lang siya? Apathy is something na mahirap i-address,” said Bautista.

However, it can be recalled that Thomasians spontaneously mobilized on Nov. 18, the same day of the stealthy burial of Marcos. Thomasians also assembled at Plaza Mayor on Nov. 25 before marching to Mendiola and joining the large protest at Luneta. Calls were also made for Thomasians to join the Nov. 30 rally at the People Power Monument.

Bautista remains positive that the school administration will soon make a stand on national issues such as the burial of Marcos.

“If the students can show it to the administration, that we are united, meron tayong stand, they might entertain the idea of releasing a statement.”

UST remains mum on the issue of the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. -V.A., T.A.