(Eagle News) — A graduate from the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod topped the 2017 bar examinations, the Supreme Court announced on Thursday, April 26.
Mark John Simondo garnered a rating of 91.05%, the highest among the 6759 who took the test in November.
Only 25.5 percent, or 1724, passed the gruelling exams, the SC said.
In second place was Christianne Mae Balili of the University of San Carlos (90.80%); in third, Camille Remorosa of the Ateneo de Davao University (90.70%); in fourth, IvanneD’laureil Hisoler of the University of San Carlos (89.55%); and in fifth, Monica Anne Yap of the San Beda College-Manila (89.45%).
Lorenzo Luigi Gayya of the University of Sto. Tomas took the sixth place (89.10%); Rheland Servacio also of USC took the seventh place (89.00%); and Krizza Alcantara-Bagni of St. Mary’s University and AlgieKwillon B. Mariacos of San Beda in Manila, the eighth place (89.90%).
UST alumni Klinton Torralba and Emma Ruby Aguilar were in ninth and tenth places, respectively.
Torralba got an 88.65% rating, and Aguilar an 88.40%.
Top 11 to 20
Veering away from tradition, Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, chair of the 2017 bar exams, also announced the top 11 to top 20 examinees.
In eleventh place was Lyan David Juanico of San Beda-Manila (88.35%); in twelfth, Lougenia Carino, also of San Beda-Manila (87.85%); in thirteenth, UST alumnus Arman Joseph Guzman (87.75%); in fourteenth, Jewelle Ann Lou Santos of the Ateneo de Manila University (87.65%); and in fifteenth were Stephanie Claros of the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Rhea Doll Gonzalo of Xavier University, and Nadia Christine Mendiguarin of St. Louis University, all with a rating of (87.55%).
Eileen Carla Carpio of San Beda-Manila was in sixteenth place (87.40%); Ella Marie Mendoza of the University of Cebu in seventeenth place (87.35%); Aecaya Christine Calero of UST in eighteenth place (87.15%); Pretz Vernice Vinluan of the University of the Philippines in nineteenth place (87.10%); and Riniel Resurreccion of Jose Rizal University in twentieth place (86.95%). With reports from Moira Encina