INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court will hold its special en banc (full court) session Wednesday to discuss the passing percentage for the 2012 bar examination.
While the high court announced the special session on Wednesday, it did not clarify, however if the result will be released on the same day.
Associate Justice Martin Villarama, chairperson of the 2012 bar exam committee earlier announced that the 2012 bar examination results will be out before Holy Week.
A total of 5,686 law graduates took the 2012 bar examination held on all four Sundays of October (October 7, 14, 21 and 28) at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
Oath taking for new lawyers is scheduled on April 24 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
Records from the Office of the Bar Confidant showed that a total of 5,710 petitions to take the bar exams have been filed but five have been denied and 19 have withdrawn.
The Rules of Court provide that “a candidate may be deemed to have passed his examination successfully if he has obtained a general average of 75 per cent.” The rule disqualifying applicants having grades in any subject falling below 50 per cent has been abolished since 2010.
In determining the average, subjects in the examinations are given the following relative weights: Political and International Law, 15 per cent; Labor and Social Legislation, 10 per cent; Civil Law, 15 per cent; Taxation, 10 per cent; Mercantile Law, 15 per cent; Criminal Law, 10 per cent; Remedial Law, 20 per cent; and Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises, 5percent, for a total of 100 per cent.