The Ten Commandments in Answering Bar Exam Questions (By Atty. R.A. Sarmiento)

The Ten Commandments

in Answering Bar Exam Questions

by Atty. Ralph A. Sarmiento (10th placer, 1997 Bar Exams)

I.

Thou shall not abandon your common sense.

II.

Thou shall leave your personal biases at home.

III.

Thou shall answer only what is being asked.

IV.

Thou shall not invent facts.

V.

Thou shall write legibly and clearly.

VI.

Thou shall not write unduly long answers.

VII.

Thou shall not brag about your legal knowledge.

VIII.

Thou shall not criticize the problem.

IX.

Thou shall always state the legal basis of your answer.

X.

Thou shall not make an unjustified conclusion.

Year 2014

Year 2014

I’m a 2-1-4 guy (Feb.14 or 2/14). When I bet on the lottery, I always bet on these numbers. 214 or “Am I real?” (2-am, 1-I, 4-real) is one of my favorite songs. Most ID nos. that were issued to me revolved around or contained these numbers. That is why it is no surprise that I view 2014 as “my” year.

Last year, I imagined everything in my favor for the upcoming year; finish Law and take the 2014 Bar examinations, complete my masters, and take my Phd, take a good appointive position, invest on something, and perhaps, live the life I earned. The year 2014, without a question ‘should’ be ‘my’ year.

Fate, or some divine hands must have had a different opinion. To my shock, I found out that I will be a father to a sweet little boy. Although I won’t ever regret such happening, the incident complicated a lot of things –relationships, work, connections…name it. Even though I won some small battles, a string of unforeseen events made me think that I will, imminently, lose the war; a judge failed me two times in a subject which is likened to a P.E. subject of the undergrad, my masters adviser had a research at Tacloban and no adviser was available, I turned down an appointive position because I expected to take the 2014 Bar, I lost time, money, and even property in the most inconceivable and most funny way possible to my deep regret and distress. It seems that the coming 2014, or its anticipation, is a curse to me.

Maybe it’s that clutter that made me stop for awhile in my teaching job, and to plea for a ‘roving’ schedule in my community service position. Although I have remedied most of my troubles, the 2014 timeline I spoke of and expected was delayed. For weeks I stayed at home and have gotten myself consistently drunk to forget the stress and depression of it all. I was a mess. A failure.

Then one morning, Vash, my little boy, crawled to me and looked at me with pleading eyes. In that moment, I understood what he meant; In all the years I had, I maintained the moonlight bandit that I am, the selfish prick who disregarded emotions after emotions, and the egoistic gunslinger who’d put his fun first before obvious priorities. I realized that 2014 is not really for me, but for others…most especially my boy.

Maybe that is the plan, the purpose of this surprising chaos: so I can spend my 2014 days baby-sitting. A year to be spent playing with him, feeding him, changing his diapers, and rushing to bath him on lazy mornings. Maybe all those things happened because this year is supposed to be a time for me to watch him do his own battles - his first crawl, first words, first steps...

Maybe I really owe this year to him, because maybe, it is  ‘his’ year and not mine.

Some Funny Lawschool lines (I think) :)

Most of my batch mates have been drinking at bars for days now...true to their title: bar-takers (bartikeros). Apparently, they have already taken their final exams and will only wait for a few more weeks before they graduate (congratulations!). They will be taking the bar exams this year, and hopefully become lawyers next year. I can’t help but keep a little envy – I could’ve joined them if only I’ve made some right decisions in the last two years. But then, as lower beings who are sadly out of focus, and out of luck, we have yet to wait for another year or two. It sucks.

Or maybe a miracle will happen. If all goes well, then summer must be the answer from the heavens. *Sigh, I'll be crossing my fingers for that!

One can’t help but feel depressed. Spending years  in law school had already demanded sacrifices – no time for friends, family, social life, and personal passions. Being a community official and a part-time teacher (and taking Masters Degree at the same time) did not help either. Something is doomed to fail. Juggling things is difficult after all.

To vanquish such a gloomy mood, I tried to recall some laughter in those years. At least to console myself that I have made the right choice in staying, even with the grueling task of facing 'judgment' every meeting. Most of these lines are funnier when you have the background though. Well, here are my top 12 (not in any order):

1.    In Law on Property, “the Cloud on the title is not so cirrus (serious)”, and the Prof. smiled. - Nakuha ko lang after ten minutes.

2.    In Taxation regarding appeals, “Mandamus will not lie!” napaka-honest  naman ng ‘Mandamus’ na yan! - * Laughter.

3.     In Criminal review, sir stood for five minutes then finally said: "Let’s proceed to your 'alleged review'". - Judge Patnaan is always sarcastic.

4.    “Sanamagan ng Sanamagan” ang mga lawyer na yan!, akala nila nakakatawa ung term!  - Sa totoo lang ang sarap kasing bigkasin ung “Sanamagan” (son of a gun) hehehe

5.     “Stop the delaying tactics in our recitation! This is not remedial law! Inulit ulit din to eh hehe

6.    Pupunta ka sa pinaka-pangit na court, and Supreme Court. Yan lang ang walang “appeal” eh. - Nyak. May tama ka Dean hehe. (*Rest in peace Dean Gumpic..)

7.    “Penal in nature” not “Penile in nature”, iba yun hehe – Narinig ko na sa halos lahat ng criminal law prof.

8.    In civil law, “alam natin yang possession na yan (pronounced as ‘position’)...: Dog. – Bwiset.;) Naalala ko tuloy ung Naked  Title sa civil law.

9.    Sumo-sobra na eh! He pushed his luck too hard (pertaining to the non-lawyer MTC Judge who applied  as RTC Judge). Sinobraan na met! – It’s funnier if you’ve heard it from Pros. Maranes!

10.  In Political Law; "In the case of VirJen Shipping and Marine Services, Inc. vs. National Seamen Board...The workers are the Seamen (semen), papasok sila sa VirJen (virgin)" Atty. Gacayan really has the pornographic memory! haha!

11.  In a recitation, my classmate started with, “Sir, I believe..” The prof. interrupted him immediately with: “DO NOT BELIEVE!...I’m not asking you to believe anything” – Wala lang, parang duet lang kasi hehe (tapos nakakatawa talaga expression ni sir)hehe

12.  In Evidence; “The case of People vs. Pagpaguitan…” (paused and laughs), which I suspect is the neighbor of Mr. Olsim ( because it seemed that the name came from Mt. Province) – Mas nakakatawa talaga pag si Sir Mark nagsabi hehe 

      As usual, my poor memory failed me. Marami pa toh eh. I will update them the soonest that I remember things. It will be a tragedy kong eto lang funny lines in those  years. Hahaha. 

Yet, the real fun, perhaps, is being with many great people in those years. Indeed, I have learned a lot. Good luck and all the best to Batch 2014 of CCDC-LAW!