The Advocati

26/09/2025

𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿.

24/09/2025

𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡: "Sanchez Roman defines law as 'a rule of conduct, just and obligatory, promulgated by legitimate authority for the common observance and benefit.' This definition admits that: first, laws are made, unmade, and amended by legitimate authority; second, that laws are for the common observance, and; third, that it is for the common benefit."

Written by Dan Henly P. Sales

To be clear and upfront, this is not a defense of the unqualified view that the law may be bent, which to some means that compliance with the law may be dispensed with. No, this is merely a philosophical and off-the-cuff musing on the rigidity or flexibility of law, in general.

22/09/2025

This is what 𝐋𝐄𝐗 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 is all about.
More than a conference, it’s an avenue where students, educators, and even government officials gather—not just to speak, but to listen, question, and critically engage with the pressing issues of our time.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓.
Together, let’s shape the discourse that can transform lives and societies.

𝑩𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑩𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.
•September 29, 2025•

21/09/2025

𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗔𝗪 𝗔𝗧 𝟱𝟯 | 53 years ago, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law, an era etched in our nation’s memory with shame and horror marked by thousands of killings, victims of violence, enforced disappearances, tortures, and the massive plunder of government, shrouded under a culture of impunity.

Today, we commemorate the Martial law proclamation as a solemn reminder that this should never happen again. Yet decades later, and with history going full circle, the systemic corruption and culture of impunity still live on.

The lifeblood doctrine speaks of taxes as the nation's lifeblood through which government agencies continue to operate and which the State discharges its functions for the welfare of its people. But when this lifeblood is stolen to feed the excesses of a few, millions of Filipinos are deprived of this critical infusion and robbed of their right to live with dignity. Every peso lost to greed translates into nonexistent or crumbling flood control projects that collapse when most needed, unsafe infrastructures that take lives instead of saving them, health systems that fail the sick and the poor, and classrooms that condemn future generations to the same cycle of poverty and neglect. Corruption is not an abstraction but a poison that kills, sometimes fast, often slowly and painfully.

Today, a plundered nation declares enough is enough. Just as in the past, the resistance still lives as a reminder that the power of the people is always greater than the people in power.

Salus populi est suprema lex. The welfare of the people is the supreme law. We stand in solidarity with the indignation against corruption and join the call for accountability. Never again shall we let thieves and tyrants dictate our fate. Never again shall the people be silenced.

Graphics by Kent Jobo

15/09/2025

𝗔𝗗𝗩𝗢𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦 | “All that remains now is waiting: the release of the results, and for many, resuming lives, studies, or passing along lessons learned for the next batch of aspirants. The final day of the 2025 Bar Examinations in Davao may be over, but for MSU GenSan examinees, the journey — whether leading to the legal profession this year or another attempt later — goes on with the same heart.”

Watch The Advocati Day 3 report of the 2025 Philippine Bar examinations.

Report by Richard Ordonez Jr.
Script by Dioscoro Nunez III
Video by Thea Garay

15/09/2025

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭, 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗦𝗨-𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗻. 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟭𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 .

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗦𝗨 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝘄 – 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘀 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.

𝗗𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱!

14/09/2025

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗕𝗔𝗥 𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗠 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟯 | Three days, six subjects, countless sacrifices. The 2025 Philippine Bar examinations conclude today with a joyous celebration outside the local testing center in Davao City.

All the years of hard work — the sleepless nights, endless cups of coffee, the highs and lows of recitations, the doubts and determination — all led to this moment. More than just a test of legal knowledge; the Bar is also a rite of passage and a trial of resilience and courage.

Today is a culmination of a journey, not just for the takers in the arena, but for an entire community that has rallied behind them. We are rooting for your success, future MSUan lawyers, abogado para sa bayan. (Photos by Kaye Angela Sampayan, Murielle Cocjin, Tobit Abao / The Advocati)

14/09/2025

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗕𝗔𝗥 𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗠 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟯 | 2025 Bar examinees showed up with unwavering determination for the final day of the exams at Ateneo de Davao – Senior High School today, September 14, where they are set to take Criminal Law and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises.

Fueled by love and support, the MSU Law GenSan community, Bar operators, and volunteers, continues to rally behind the barristers, reminding them that they are not alone in the final stretch of their Bar journey. (Photos by Kaye Angela Sampayan, Murielle Cocjin, and Tobit Abao / The Advocati)

13/09/2025

𝗔𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟯 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗸 ‘𝗭𝗲𝗱’ 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗦𝗨-𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗻, 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗦𝗨 𝗕𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀.

"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗦𝗨𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗻, 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀!"

12/09/2025

𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀:

𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 — 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗛. 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆: 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗦𝗨 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.

𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 — 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

Atty Rosarie Anne H. Bering was a member of the ad hoc committee when the Advocati revival was still on its infancy and was eventually appointed as the paper’s Admin & Finance Editor.

11/09/2025

𝗔𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗴 𝘀𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲.

10/09/2025

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛: Day two of the 2025 Bar examinations brought a wave of emotions outside ADDU – Senior High School in Davao City, as families, friends, schoolmates, and supporters warmly welcomed back the barristers after they finished the second-day test.

Video by Thea Garay