The Rules of Court provides that a bar examinee is deemed to have passed if he or she obtains a general average of 75% in all subjects, without falling below 50% in any subject.  The Daily Inquirer reported today that the Supreme Court had to adjust the passing rate from 75% to 70% because of the "unusually strict correction" done by the examiners in three subjects: Labor Law, Civil Law and Criminal Law.  It also reported that in these subjects, the disqualification rate was adjusted from 50% to 45%.

The report is erroneous.  Justice Azcuna in his press conference yesterday said that it was only in Labor Law and Civil Law that the Court had to adjust the disqualification rate.  For the record, i did not give a grade lower than 50% to any examinee.  I wanted every examinee to have a fighting chance to pass, despite probably having a "bad day" in Criminal Law.  It is my understanding that i am the only examiner who was this lenient.

I hate sounding defensive, but God knows that i am not "unusually strict".  As my students in Criminal Procedure and Criminal Law will attest, i am one of the fairest professors on campus in grading students, either in recitations or in exams.  I even gave a final grade of 95% to 3 students during the 1st Semester 2006 (and flunked only 4 out of 74).

I respect the Supreme Court's decision to lower the passing rate this year.  Indeed, i am a witness to the need for more lawyers in this country.  But as one of the Court's standards in determining who should or should NOT be a lawyer this year, it my fervent hope that those who were considered to have passed the Bar this year, by being given a lease on life, would fulfill their new roles in establishing justice and truth in our times.