Hilbay dares new lawyers to defend, protect Constitution

LUCENA CITY — Opposition senatorial candidate and former bar topnotcher Pilo Hilbay hailed the latest batch of lawyers in the country but dared them to become serious defenders and protectors of the constitution.

“Congratulations to all who passed the bar. I hope you take your oath seriously to defend and protect the constitution,” Hilbay said in an interview at the sideline of the campaign of the “Otso Diretso” candidates in Lucena City on Friday.

Hilbay, who topped the bar in 1999 also called on the country’s new lawyers to “defend civil rights, human rights, freedom of the press and the right of everybody to live.”

At least 1,800 lawyers out of 8,155 examinees passed the 2018 Bar examination, yielding a 22.07 percent passing rate this year.