Ateneo grad tops 2018 Bar exams

An Ateneo de Manila University graduate topped last year's Bar examinations, Justice Mariano del Castillo, 2018 Bar chair, announced on Friday.

Sean James Borja scored 89.3060% to lead the recent list of Bar passers.

In a press conference, Castillo also announced that 22.07% of examinees, or 1,800, passed the 2018 Bar examinations. A total 8,155 aspiring lawyers took the exams on four Sundays of November 2018. [Click here for complete list of passers.]

The rest of the Top 10 are as follows:

2. Marcley Augustus B. Natu-El of University of San Carlos (87.5300%)

3. Mark Lawrence C. Badayos of University of San Carlos (85.8420%)

4. Daniel John A. Fordan of Ateneo de Manila University (85.4430%)

5. Katrina Monica C. Gaw of Ateneo de Manila University (85.4210%)

6. Nadaine P. Tongco of University of the Philippines (85.9320%)

7. Patricia O. Sevilla of University of the Philippines (84.8590%)

8. Kathrine T. Ting of De La Salle University - Manila (84.8570%)

9. Jebb Lynus Q. Cane of University of San Carlos (84.8050%)

10. Alen Joel R. Pita of University of San Carlos (84.6930%)

Kept secret until Friday, the Bar examiners were Carlo Cruz for political and public international law, Hans Leo Cacdac for labor law and social legislation, Ma. Ngina Teresa Chan-Gonzaga for civil law, and Carlos Baniqued for taxation.

Former Ateneo law school dean Cesar Villanueva was the examiner for mercantile law, retired justice Edgardo Cruz for criminal law, Tranquil Salvador III for remedial law, and Regina Geraldez for legal ethics and practical exercises.

The passing rate for the 2018 Bar exam is lower than that of the 2017 Bar exam. In the last 18 years, the lowest recorded Bar exam passing rate was 17.76% in 2012; the highest was 59.06% in 2016.

Last year, the Supreme Court said 1,724 of 6,748 candidates, or 25.55 percent of takers, passed the 2017 Bar exam. The topnotcher was Mark John Simondo of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, who had a rating of 91.05 percent.

The Bar examinations are considered as the most prestigious professional licensure exam in the country, according to the SC. Administered by the Office of the Bar Confidant, it is the only licensure test that is not administered by the Professional Regulatory Commission. —KBK/LBG, GMA News