Law student wrongfully accused in bar exams blast passes bar, wants to work for PAO

CEBU CITY, Philippines —Two years ago, this law student was dragged to the police station and mauled after he was wrongly accused of throwing a grenade near La Salle University where the 2010 Bar examinations were taking place.

Jed Lazaga didn’t allow the traumatic experience to bring him down and the event even inspired him to study harder. His efforts paid off.

Lazaga was one of the 1,913 successful examines who passed the bar exam in November 2011.

Now, he wants to work at the Public Attorney’s Office so he could help those who, like him, had been wrongly accused.

“I want to apply (for a job) and work at the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) as a way of giving back what God has given to me,” Lazaga said.

Lezaga was part of the support group for examinees from the University of San Jose-Recoletos when he was dragged to the police station and was mauled after a fraternity group accused him of throwing the grenade at a crowd celebrating the end of the bar exams outside the De La Salle University campus along Taft Avenue in Manila on Sept. 26, 2010.

At least 50 persons were wounded in the explosion.

Lazaga was later released after the police realized they got the wrong man. His professors and friends in Cebu also vouched for his innocence.

Although he was cleared, Lazaga used the experience to motivate him to study harder at the USJ-R in Cebu City where he graduated last 2011. He took the bar examinations last November.

Lazaga was taking a pre-employment examination at the office of Innodata Knowledge Services in Mandaue City on Wednesday when he received a text message that he passed the bar exams.

He immediately went to the Redemptorist Church in Cebu City to thank the Lord for the blessing.

Lazaga, 26 and a native of Pilar town on Camotes Island, Cebu, said he made up his mind to be a PAO lawyer.

Lazaga said his experience taught him about the many cases of people being wrongfully accused of crimes.

According to Lazaga, his father and mother are still working in government, and therefore his family could survive without relying much on his earnings.

His father, German Lazaga, 47, is with the plumbing department of the Pilar municipality while his mother Expedita, 53, is assigned at the engineering department in same municipality.

Lazaga is the eldest of four siblings. His two younger brothers have completed their marine engineering course while the 4th and youngest brother is still in college taking up Bachelor of Arts in English.

Lawyers Jonathan Capanas and Mae Elaine Bathan, dean and assistant deans, respectively of the USJR College of Law, said they were very happy that Lazaga passed the bar exams.

“That’s a vindication for Lazaga after he was accused of a crime that he did not commit,” Capanas said.

Bathan who had assisted Lazaga after being accused in the bombing incident, said she encouraged Lazaga to continue his dream of becoming a lawyer despite his unfortunate experience.

Lazaga has admitted that his wrongful arrest, detention and the physical attack on made him paranoid in crowded places.  However, he said that has not dampened his normal social life.  He said he would still hang out with friends.