Archive for April 2009
News-Feature
Unknown community school boasts of Bar passers
By Roy Gersalia
Philippine Daily Inquirer
SORSOGON CITY, Philippines – While most, if not all newly-founded law schools take years to have a passer in the tough and prestigious Bar examinations, people in Sorsogon province have more reason to be prouder since the only school who offers the Bachelor of Laws course here have proven its mettle since its founding in 2001.
Conquering odds and taking a great leap had not been that easy especially for a provincial law school as shown by the experience of others.
But despite this, the Aemilianum College Incorporated located at Rizal Street in Barangay Piot, this city, had made quite a number of persons who became lawyers since the first batch of its graduates took the tough exams in 2005.
“Having Bar passers in the first attempt of a law school is a privileged denied to most, if not all law schools,” said Ron Ely Espinosa, an incoming 4th year student.
Year 2005 became what Frenchmen called “Le moment des verite” or moment of truth for the Aemilianum College of Law. In its first try, the Aemilianum College Inc. produced three lawyers in the persons of Atty. Jonathan G. Balintong, Atty. Sergio Domasian and Atty. Enrique J. Renoria.
Balintong and Renoria are now teaching at the College of Law under the able stewardship of Atty. Rofebar Gerona, Dean of the Aemilianum College of Law. Atty. Domasian is now a practicing lawyer in Manila.
Lady luck, shone literally, in year 2006 when the College produced its first woman-lawyer in the person of Atty. Jehan Rebustillo. Atty. Ryan Filgueras also became lawyer in the same year.
Rebustillo encouraged women-students of the College especially during the Bar operations every September to go for “women power” so that many would join her as female lawyer produced by the Aemilinaum College of Law.
Filgueras on the other hand, is now a Comelec (Commision on Elections) lawyer and is now teaching at the Aemilinum College of Law every Saturday and Sunday.
In 2007, Atty. Dante Arcos, who is also teaching at the College hurdled the Bar exams which only about 20% of all the examinees passed. He is currently employed at the Regional Trial Court here and plans to go private practice soon.
And recently, the 2008 Bar exams, the results of which were released only a few weeks ago, another lawyer was produced by the Aemilianum College in the person of Atty. Ronel Marianito.
Now, not only school administrators led by Fr. Abe Arganiosa and Dean Gerona are proud but the whole province as well as more are expected to enroll this coming Academic year said Jackie Villafuerte, an incoming 3rd year student.
Ahead of Ateneo
A standing joke in the college is that the Aemilianum Law is always next on top and ahead of Ateneo because after Abra College, Aemilianum is next in the alphabetical listings of the Colleges of Law nationwide.
The joke is set to inspire students especially freshmen in the College of Law, said Salvador Mendoza, Law Student Council president.
Weekend classes
The Aemilianum College of Law held its classes only on Saturdays and Sundays, one of the few schools who was permitted by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to operate on a weekend basis.
The scheme was designed to accommodate working students where most of the students in the College of Law here are employed either in government or in private institutions.
And even if the classes are held every weekend, one can finish the Law course in four years time in an affordable tuition, Mendoza said.
Helping Hand
For years now, Congressman Sonny Escudero of the 1st district here have been one of the benefactors for the College. He donated the latest volumes of the Supreme Court Reports Annotated (SCRA) and the Supreme Court Advanced Decisions (SCAD).
His son, Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero used to teach law in the College.
Every September, when the College’s Bar operations are set to go to Manila to help and give their support for the Bar candidates, Governor Sally A. Lee lends the government-owned bus for the students and teachers who are going to attend.
The College also received some pittance from private businesses here and gave them their financial support for the expenses to be incurred for the Bar Operations team.
However, the College, looks forward for the much better improvement of its facilities. Additional Law books, additional computers with Internet and a photocopying machine for the students are needed, said one of the students who refused to be identified.
The name
Since 1985 the Somascan Fathers handles the school. The name became Aemilianum Institute and now the Aemilianum College. This name is taken from the Family name of their founder St. Jerome Emiliani.
NEWS
Escudero fears ‘automated cheating’ in 2010
By Roy Gersalia
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 18:51:00 04/19/2009
Filed Under: Elections, Eleksyon 2010
SORSOGON CITY, Philippines — Senator Francis Escudero raised fears that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) would end up wasting the P11.3-billion budget for the planned computerization of elections in 2010 since it had not fully explained how it would use the funds.
Escudero, who is being touted as a contender for the presidential race in 2010, said here on Thursday that the Comelec has not given the public a clear picture of how the next elections would be held.
“It may be vulnerable. The automated elections may possibly become automated cheating,” he said.
The Bicolano senator also said he got information from the Comelec that data related to the process of counting the votes would first be transmitted to the United States via Internet before the results could get back to the Philippines.
He said this route could be vulnerable to cheating.
Asked if he would really run for president, Escudero was his usual coy self and said he would first study the political climate and focus first on serving the people as senator.
Escudero will turn 40 in October. Under the Constitution, a presidential candidate must be at least 40 years old.
“I am not saying I won’t [run], I’m not saying I will. All I am saying is that the decision will have to be made when I’m fully qualified,” Escudero added.
NEWS
Wife of slain Sorsogon peasant leader killed
By Roy Gersalia
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 12:28:00 04/01/2009
SORSOGON CITY, Philippines–Governor Sally Lee has condemned the killing of the wife of peasant leader Willy Jerus of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), whose killing two years ago has yet to be solved.
Lee issued a statement promising to closely monitor the investigation of the killing of Edelina “Eden” Jerus, 37, and ensure justice for the victim.
Two unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen shot Eden dead Tuesday at 10:45 a.m., as she was providing home-cooked food in her residence at San Juan Roro, Sorsogon City.
Eden, a member of Hustisya (Victims of Arroyo Regime United for Justice), suffered four gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival at the Sorsogon Doctors Hospital.
She left behind two sons, aged 10 and 8 years who reportedly watched over their bloodied mother when the gunmen fled, according to neighbors.
Eden’s husband Willy was killed on April 16, 2007.
