SC allows entry into law schools sans PhilSat

The Supreme Court symbol in Manila. (File photo LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court temporarily stopped the Legal Education Board (LEB) from implementing Memorandum Circular No. 18 that bars admission into law school of students who failed in the Philippine Law School Admission Test (Philsat) or has not taken the said examination.

In its resolution, the high court said the temporary restraining order would continue “until further orders from the court.”

The TRO issued by the high court covers only LEB Memorandum Circular No.18, Series of 2018. The said memorandum bars the admission and enrolment as freshmen students in the basic law course beginning in Academic Year 2018-2019 without PhilSat eligibility.

With the restraining order on LEB Memorandum Circular No. 18, aspiring law students who have not taken the PhilSat, those who have taken the PhilSat but did not pass, those who have passed the PhilSat but have expired certificates of eligibility, college honor graduates without certificate of exemption, and college honor graduates with expired certificates of exemption will be “conditionally admitted” and enrolled as freshmen in the basic law course in the incoming school year.

PhilSat examinations have been conducted by LEB in April 2017, September 2017, April 2018, and September 2018.

Petitions were filed questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act 7662, the Legal Education Reform Act, which became the basis for the issuance of LEB Memorandum Order No. 7 for the conduct of PhilSat.

The high court earlier conducted an oral argument on the matter. /jpv