MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday congratulated the newest batch of lawyers in the country.
In a virtual presser, acting presidential spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar was elated by the high number of law graduates who passed the 2020-2021 Bar examinations.
“Nais kong batiin ang lahat ng pumasa sa Bar examinations. Mas dumami po ang ating mga abogado. Mas maganda po ito para sa ating mga kababayan. Mabuhay po kayo mga bagong passer ng Bar examinations. Congratulations po (I want to congratulate the passers of the Bar examinations. We now have more lawyers. It is better for our fellow countrymen. Long live, new passers of the Bar examinations),” Andanar said.
Defend the truth
Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives congratulated the crop of new lawyers, urging them to defend the truth.
Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun said the true first duty of every lawyer is to the truth and to seek it with "all abilities and resources that can be mustered.
"These days, truth itself is under attack. As an advocate of Truth, every lawyer is sworn, in this age of massive disinformation, to live up to their solemn oath, stand for what they believe in, and speak truth to power," Fortun said in a statement on Tuesday.
He said lawyers, as defenders of the Constitution, play a vital role in the preservation of civil liberties and fundamental rights and freedoms.
Fortun said lawyers, being the ones learned in law and justice, are expected to be at the forefront of strengthening and protecting the country's democratic institutions, stressing that they must protect people “attacked by untruth".
Lawyers must protect people attacked by untruth.
"I congratulate and welcome to the fold our new lawyers, new rays of hope for the reign of justice, rule of law and human rights," Fortun said.
He said the rule of law is preserved and justice served when everyone, especially the marginalized and vulnerable, has access to justice.
"Legal services are said to be prohibitive. They will no longer be when lawyers are ready to offer services for free to the poor, the weak, and other less-privileged members of our society. Law school taught that law is a vocation and not a trade," he said.
Help fight injustice
Senatorial aspirant and broadcaster Raffy Tulfo called on the new lawyers to help fight injustice.
"Serve the oppressed for free and to set them free," Tulfo said. "The people need you desperately. We need you to bring the people out of the dark and into the light."
Tulfo said the new lawyers should also help Congress make better laws by telling the legislature where the current laws are falling short, where the legal loopholes are, and how best those gaps can be bridged or filled.
"Be champions of truth and justice," he said.
A total of 8,241 examinees passed the 2020-2021 Bar examinations, the Supreme Court announced.
This is equivalent to 72.28 percent of the 11,402 law graduates who took the Bar exams on Feb. 4 and 6.
Only 14 successful Bar takers earned recognition for “excellent” performance, obtaining grades higher than 90 percent.
Around 751 Bar passers were also recognized for their “exemplary” performance for earning a grade of 85 percent to 90 percent.
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic delayed the Bar examinations and forced the SC to shorten the period of the examination to two days instead of the traditional four days.
There were 11,790 law graduates who initially applied to take the 2020-2021 Bar examinations, but only 11,402 applicants were able to take the two-day test.
The oath-taking of the latest batch of lawyers is scheduled on May 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. (PNA)
