Pinols, Guiani, Esparagoza, among BAR passers as parents, relatives shed tears....

DAVAO CITY — Milestones
marked the 2016 Bar Examination as the results were released Wednesday noon
amid celebrations of those who made it.

One of the
milestones, was the passing rate (59.06 percent) or 3,747 passers out of 6,344
examinees.

For the first
time, all of the top 10 passers came from provincial law schools and none from
the National Capital Region where prestigious schools are.

It may not be
the first time a Prodi (from the province) examinee emerged victorious, but topnotcher
Karen Mae Calam is from the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu.

Of the top 10
passers, USC had the highest number followed by Silliman University in Negros
Oriental.

The top 10:

1stand Karen Mae
Calam, University of San Carlos (89.05 percent)

2ndand Alanna
Gayle Ashley Khio, Silliman University (88.95 percent)

3rd (tied)and
Fiona Cristy Lao, University of San Carlos (88.80 percent)

3rd (tied)and
Athalia Liong, Andres Bonifacio College (88.80 percent)

4thand Allana
Mae Babayen-On, University of San Agustin (88.75 percent)

5thand Justin
Ryan Morilla, Ateneo de Davao University (88.40 percent)

6thand Mark Dave
Camarao, Northwestern University (88.10 percent)

7thand Anne
Margaret Momongan, University of San Carlos (87.80 percent)

8thand Jefferson
Gomez, University of San Carlos (87.70 percent)

9th (tied)and
Nia Rachelle Gonzales, University of Batangas (87.50 percent)

9th (tied)and
Marie Chielo Ybio, Silliman University (87.50 percent)

10thand Andrew
Stephen Liu, Silliman University (87.45 percent)

Also promdi
are new lawyers in the Pinol clan of North Cotabato.

Atty. Efren EJ
Pinol Jr and Atty. Bernice Joana Pinol were among them. They were both first barristers.

Atty. EJ Pinol
is the eldest son of former Magpet Mayor Efren Pinol Sr and May Pinol of the
Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation in Kidapawan City.

Atty. Bernice
Joana is the son of Kidapawan City Vice Mayor Bernardo Pinol Jr and Department of Education official
Josephine Pinol.

Agriculture
Sec. Emmanuel Pinol was obviously happy and glad with the two new lawyers in
the clan after two physicians in the Pinol family.

For about an
hour, Efren and wife May, son-lawyer EJ and Aya Girl, the second child had
themselves busy for more than an hour responding to well-wishers after the news
broke out at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday.

This is the
greatest gift you have given us EJ, May Pinol said as husband Efren shed tears
and speechless sitting on a sofa in the family’s Davao home.

Hugs,
high-fives reverberate in the Pinol home as mobile phones keep ringing and receiving
text messages.

The parents
were chilling, in tears and in harsh voice as they thank the Almighty and answering
calls. Chubby, the
third son taking aviation course in Luzon hoping to become the family and the
clan’s first pilot, was also in tears as he phoned his kuya to say you
deserved it kuya.

EJ said he was
confident he could make it after the BAR exam late last year. But he admitted that as the release of
results draw near, he had second thoughts of making it.

Other BAR
passers from Region 12 includes Atty. Randolph Espinoza, son of Atty. Rodolfo
Espinoza, and Atty. Jarissa G. Guiani, daughter of former Cotabato City Mayor Japal
Guiani Jr.

Image may contain 1 person closeup sand//scontent.fmnl8-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18199057_1792503374412005_469541156646260032_n.jpg?oh=8d10b7077faa100ee6eca2e7b01ef807:ampoe=5981A020 (Atty. Jarissa Guiani) Congratulations!
Atty. Jarissa G. Guiani. We know that your dad is also happy even if he is no
longer with us, Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said in her FB page.
She was in tears of Atty. Jarissa’s feat, a source said, asking she not be
named.

The mayor
saidand Today, you made us very proud of you, we have another lawyer in the
family, Mayor Sayadi added.

Celebrations
and victory parties are yet to be announced or maybe after the passers take-oath
later this month. (Edwin O. Fernandez)