TIGHT security was implemented in the conduct of the first day of the four-day part bar examination in Davao City on Wednesday, November 9, which was attended by approximately 780 examinees.
Davao City Public Security and Safety Office (PSSO) head Angel Sumagaysay, in a message to City Information Office (CIO) on Wednesday, said the city government has deputized integrated security and safety personnel to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the November 2022 Bar examinations in at the Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) Senior High School Campus in Bangkal.
“We deployed a total of 134 integrated safety and security personnel excluding the route and billet security. As of this report [Wednesday] 10 am, normal ang situation at venue ng bar exam (the situation is normal at the venue of the bar exam),” Sumagaysay said.
He added that the Supreme Court and the Davao City government conducted a series of coordinating meetings for the conduct of the Bar exams here.
Talomo Police Station commander Police Major Noel Villahermosa told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that the examination was "generally peaceful."
The police official said tight security was enforced, including body frisking, and checking their personal belongings following the bus bombing in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat on Sunday, November 6 — killing a passenger and wounding 10 others.
Villahermosa said they encouraged the examinee's family, friends, and fellow fraternity and sorority members from gathering outside the exam venue to avoid causing a crowd.
"Dapat dili na mag-adto diri sa atubangan para dili na magkaroon og congestion, and managhan ang tao considering na naa pay Covid[-19] (They should not troop outside the campus vicinity in order not to cause congestion, and would cause a crowd influx considering we are still under the Covid-19 pandemic)," he said.
This is the second time the annual bar exam is conducted in the city. A total of 478 bar examinees participated in the two-day bar in February this year, still at Addu Bangkal campus.
Based on the press briefer issued by the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, November 8, other examinees from Mindanao shall take their examinations at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University and the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.
The remaining days for the 2022 Bar Examinations are set on November 13, 16, and 20.
Nationwide, the Supreme Court confirmed that a total of 9,821 examinees will participate in the first day of the November 2022 bar.
Addu, in a statement, said that access to the SHS campus will be restricted, and that bar examinees and those directly involved will be allowed to enter the campus.
The school also advised motorists that there will be tight security and heavy traffic within the campus vicinity, and along MacArthur Highway-Bangkal area during the bar exam days.
Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, 2023 bar chairperson, said during an event in Addu on September 1 that the digitalization and regionalization of the bar examination in some parts of the country will be adopted in the 2023 bar exam.
Hernando said they did not expect that the digitalization and regionalization of the bar exam would be successfully materialized.
Hernando said this had "positively enhanced court innovation ideas," which led them to also adapt the same in the coming bar.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)- Davao Chapter president Maceste Uy told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that they support the regionalization of the bar examination, which was first implemented during the 2020-2021 examination in February this year.
Uy said this would be less costly for them, who had to spend money for the fare, lodging, and other expenses during their stay in Manila.
"This is a very good move for the Supreme Court. Gwapo ang impact nga gi-regionalize ang bar exam (Having a regionalized bar exam has a positive impact)," he said. RGL