The Advocati

10/10/2025

JUST IN:

Despite the 7.6 magnitude earthquake and the series of aftershocks that struck Mindanao today, October 10, examinations at the MSU College of Law - General Santos City Extension continue as scheduled tonight.

08/10/2025

𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 | 𝗢𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀

General Santos City - Today marks a significant milestone for the third-year and fourth-year law students of the Mindanao State University College of Law – General Santos City Extension, as they took their oath as Legal Student Practitioners under the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

The oathtaking was attended by students from Sections 3A, 3C, and the Petitioned Class, who now officially join the ranks of law student practitioners empowered to assist in the administration of justice.

Also in attendance were Supervising Lawyers Atty. Fritz Tagaloguin, Atty. Leonard Mann, and Atty. Ma. Lourdes S. Mann, who continue to guide and mentor the student practitioners in their pursuit of legal excellence and service.

Congratulations to our newly sworn Legal Student Practitioners!

Photos by: Murielle Cocjin

06/10/2025

Study lang ❌
Study with prayers ✅

05/10/2025

On this World Teachers’ Day, we extend our deepest gratitude to all educators who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of knowledge and to shaping the minds of future leaders.

Your passion for imparting knowledge and nurturing compassion continues to inspire generations of learners to pursue wisdom, integrity, and excellence in all their endeavors. Through your guidance, students gain not only the lessons found in books but also the virtues that shape character, purpose, and leadership.

Today, we honor every teacher whose care and commitment make a lasting difference. Your lessons go beyond the classroom, inspiring generations to learn, lead, and serve.

Happy World Teachers’ Day!

30/09/2025

𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞: Mindanao State University – General Santos City, in partnership with the Bantugen Debate and Moot Society of the MSU College of Law – General Santos Extension, successfully held the inaugural episode of LexTalk yesterday, September 29, 2025, at the MSU College of Medicine Auditorium. LexTalk is envisioned as a flagship initiative to foster meaningful dialogue on law and public policy.

The inaugural episode explored the Laws and the Ecosystem of Disinformation. Mr. Gian Libot, a journalist, researcher, and communication strategist, delivered a lecture on Lies and Likes: Navigating Digital Disinformation, where he examined the nature of disinformation from a digital forensic perspective and shared some strategies to counter its spread.

Parenthetically, Atty. Jim Louis V. Ibañez, Chief Legal Officer of SSI Group and Name Partner of CIA Law, discussed The Philippine Legal Framework for Disinformation Mitigation, outlining the legal dimensions of disinformation and highlighted relevant existing mechanisms for regulation and accountability.

The event was graced by Atty. Shidik Zed T. Abantas, Chancellor of MSU – General Santos, and Atty. Donna Ann T. Balboa, Assistant Dean of the MSU College of Law – General Santos Extension. Students from the College of Law and various higher education institutions in General Santos City were also in attendance.

29/09/2025

𝐈𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰?
𝐁𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐨 𝐀. 𝐍𝐮ñ𝐞𝐳 𝐈𝐈𝐈

A democracy matures not by silencing dissent but by listening to it. Upholding the law means protecting those who challenge power, not punishing them.

"A democracy matures not by silencing dissent but by listening to it. Upholding the law means protecting those who challenge power, not punishing them."

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!