Several examinees have been disqualified from taking the country’s first online 2020-2021 Bar examinations for violating policies and breaching honor code, according to the Supreme Court.
In a Bar Bulletin released Sunday, the SC through Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, chairperson of the Bar examinations committee, revealed that 219 examinees were unable to take the examinations “after having tested positive for COVID-19.”
Leonen added the Office of the Bar Chairperson, in the course of the Bar examinations, had received reports on examinees who deliberately entered the local testing centers without disclosing that they had previously tested positive for COVID-19; who smuggled mobile phone inside the examination rooms; and who access social media during lunch break inside the premises.
“For their infractions, I am exercising my prerogative as Bar Chairperson to disqualify these examinees from the 2020/21 Bar Examinations,” Leonen declared.
“I take my constant message of honor to the examinees seriously. I owe it not only to those who risked their lives just to make the 2020/21 Bar Examinations happen despite all odds, but most especially to those examinees who could have taken the Bar Examinations were it not for their positive COVID-19 test results,” Leonen said.
“For those who have been disqualified, Leonen said: “Your disqualification applies only for the 2020/21 Bar Examinations.”
The SC did not disclose how many examinees were disqualified as a result of the alleged violations of the policies and the honor code.
It also did not disclose how many examinees actually reported back for the tests this morning, February 6, the last day of the two-day examinations in 31 testing centers nationwide.
During the morning examinations held on the first day last Feb. 4, Leonen said that 11,378 out of 11,790 law graduates who paid their registration fees took the tests.
