MPD ensures 4-week bar exams security

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Police District (MPD) on Sunday ensured the security of the bar exams slated on the four Sundays of November at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) España, Manila.

MPD Director Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana said they already laid out their security plan for the coming Sundays with 200 policemen deployed inside and outside UST to secure the peace and order of the examinees and their loved ones.

"Medyo maluwag ang UST at maraming gates ito, kaya lahat ng gates ay binabantayan natin," Nana said in an interview with dzMM.

"Ina-assure natin na sana walang gaanong mangyari. Very peaceful sana itong idaraos na [bar exams] sa four Sundays of November," he added.

The MPD also coordinated with the security personnel of the Supreme Court (SC), National Bureau of Investigation, Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, UST administration and the emergency teams of  Manila City Health Department to ensure the security in premises of UST.

The authorities beefed up the security for the examinations and assigned the examinations to be held in UST following the bombing that occurred in the 2010 bar exams at the De La Salle University in Taft Avenue, Manila.

Nana reminded the public to be vigilant against any threats during the exams.

There are no announcements of closed roads, but parking within the vicinity of UST is not permitted.

Around 7,164 bar examinees for 2015 started the Bar examinations on Sunday. This has been the largest number of examinees over the last four years according to SC spokesman Theodore Te.

Te said the number of examinees rose after the SC removed the five-strike rule limiting the number of retakes of examinees. He added that new law schools, law school enrollees and third takers contributed to the huge number of examinees.

The SC spokesperson said the results of the bar examinations will be released by March or April 2016.