Six topnotchers in the 2016 Bar examinations will join the Office of the Solicitor General, the principal legal defender of the state, its departments and various government agencies.
“Six topnotchers from the most recent Bar examinations will be joining the OSG in its pursuit of social justice as the Republic Defender and The Tribune of the People,” Solicitor General Jose Calida said.
The six OSG recruits are second placer Alanna Gayle Ashley Khio of Silliman University in Dumaguete City, third placer Athalia Liong of Andres Bonifacio College in Dipolog, fifth placer Justin Ryan Morilla of Ateneo De Davao University, sixth placer Mark Dace Camarao of Northwestern University in Laoag City, ninth placer Nia Rachelle Gonzales of the University of Batangas and 10th placer Andrew Stephen Liu also of Silliman University.
“In order to become the best lawyer I can be, I need to be trained in the best law firm in the country,” Khio said, explaining why she joined the OSG.
The number one Bar passer, Karen Mae Calam of the University of San Carlos law school in Cebu City, has decided to pursue private law practice.
Last year’s Bar exams set a record in history after all law graduates in the top 10 came from schools outside of the National Capital Region.
It was the first time that no graduate from law schools in NCR – including the prominent University of the Philippines, Ateneo De Manila University and San Beda law schools – made it to the top 10.
A total of 3,747 law graduates passed the 2016 Bar examinations, which constitute 59.06 percent of the total of 6,344 takers who completed the exams in November last year.
It was the second highest passing rate in the history of Bar exams since 1954 when the passing rate was 75.17 percent.