The top 14 in the recent Bar Examination results is a student of Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
Ar-Rashid Taradji, 29 years old, said he came home from work in the morning of April 14. Knowing that the results will be announced by 10 a.m., he decided to wait for the announcement from the Supreme Court.
Taradji said he waited for the livestream alone in his room while his sister and mother were watching from their living room.
When Judge Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa started enumerating the Top Bar Passers, Taradji said he focused on the names being flashed on screen, waiting for his and his friends' names.
It took awhile for him to realize his name was mentioned, until his family started screaming.
Taradji is the fourth of 5 siblings. He is the only member of their family who pursued law as his mother and most of his siblings are in the medical field. He said his fear of blood prevented him from being a doctor or nurse. It was his late father's dream for one of his children to become a lawyer.
Taradji said after taking the last exams last November 2022, he felt content. He was praying to be among the top Bar passers and his prayer was answered.
Taradji said his review for the Bar started as soon as he entered law school. He has kept all his notes which he used for his review.
He said he has not yet decided what legal field to focus on but he is excited to put to practice what he has learned and be of help to those who need his assistance.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University produced 22 new lawyers this year while Western Mindanao State University welcomed 54 new laywers.
-- Report from Queenie Casimiro