MANILA - The Supreme Court en banc has decided it would hold the 2020 Bar Exams not earlier than February next year, the exams' chairperson said Monday.

The high court earlier said it would postpone the exams to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Supreme Court postpones 2020 Bar exams due to COVID-19 crisis

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said the high court decided to move the exams to a later date following a rise in virus infections, "prevailing community quarantine protocols, and the continuing uncertainty."

• Leonen tells new lawyers: 'Silence when we have ability to speak is cause of injustice'

#Bar2020 UPDATE: Read Bar Bulletin No. 12 - SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT BAR EXAMINATIONS #BestBarEver2020_21 pic.twitter.com/zGB4dpdAyG

— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) June 29, 2020

The Supreme Court in April announced 2,103 of 7,685 candidates passed the 2019 Bar exams. The new lawyers took oath last Thursday.

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