By CONG B. CORRALES Associate Editor CAGAYAN de Oro’s Xavier University and  Liceo de Cagayan University produced 51 more lawyers. In a stunning turn of events, no Metro Manila-based law school landed in the top 10 of the 2016 bar examinations based on the results released by the Supreme Court yesterday. Although none from Cagayan de Oro was in the top 10, two of the city’s universities still have much to celebrate about. Twenty law graduates from Liceo de Cagayan University passed the exams, showing  a dramatic improvement in its college of law’s standing. Lawyer Carlo Antonio Almirante, dean of Liceo’s College of Law, said 12 of 22 Liceo graduates were “first takers,” and eight of 14 were “second takers.” In 2011, the year Almirante joined the Liceo, the university only had one successful examinee. The following year, the university had two bar passers. In the years 2014 and 2015, the university produced four bar passers. That figure jumped right up to 20 passers in the 2016 exams. The new lawyers from Liceo: Abbu, Jose Pepe; Abaton, Mohamad Nasif; Araneta, Pauline Mae; Bollozos, Ignatius Franc; Cahoy, Moshi; Elumba, JR; Huelar, Gil Mae; Lagcao, Florence Dueñas; Ramon Dañar Legaspi V; Lomondot-Adiong; Sittie Aliyyah; Loncion, Madelone; Mabayo, Hannah; Armen Malawani; Musni, YR Beverly Ann; Muti, Khasamera A.; Orquillas, John Elson; Ponciano, Datu Al; Rudinas, Samuel Ryan C.; Rudora Celia Jurado; Uy, Olezardo Jose. Xavier University meanwhile maintained its strong standing as it registered an 83.78-percent passing rate. Of its 37 law school graduates who took the bar exams, 31 passed. An unofficial list of the new lawyers from Xavier: Agustin, Johanne Emmanuel; Alaba, Johannes Jude; Alip, Yasmin Acmad; Azis, Sittie Jafsah; Balindong, Mohammad Bin Ali; Banal, Elaine Chesca; Calvo, Kirsten Kate; Chang, Alyanna; Collado, Roland; Darimbang Jonaidah; Ebdalin, Xandra Yzabelle; Foronda, Xyza Faye; Gallego, Mark Evan; Legara, Luz Diane; Lleno, Paola Kathlynn; Lloren, Christina Marie; Lumbatan, Fender Rhodes; Maglinao, Jennevieve Jane; Mangata, Alyssa Nezren; Nangcas Jeddah May; Neri, Ernesto; Portacion, Deeby; Quilab, Miguel Ruperto Rico; Razon, Candice Zennia; Rondon, Dence Cris; Valledor, Rowell; Valmores, Paolyn; Vedad, Noelle Therese; Villo, Viktoria Mary Antonette; Viloro, Shem Anthony; and Virtudez, Iris Xavier’s College of Law has been consistently listed among the top 10 performing law schools in the country. Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. said 3,747 of the 6,344 examinees who took the bar examinations passed, and this figure translates to 59.06 percent of the total examinees. Velasco noted the figure and percentage are higher than the 26.21 percent (1,731 out of 6,605) who passed the 2015 bar examinations. He said the highest passing percentage in the history of the bar exams from 1946 to 2015 was 75.17 percent in 1954 while the highest passing percentage with the passing average of 75 percent was attained in 1998 with 39.63 percent. “In 2016, the passing percentage is definitely the highest with the remarkable 59.06 percent based on the grade of 75 percent,” he said. (with reports from pna)