Bar flunkers before, successful lawyers now.

Byline: Ramon Tulfo

A SUPREME COURT INSIDER told me Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez took the examinations for would-be lawyers twice, passing the Bar on her second attempt.

This was confirmed by some of her classmates or batchmates at the Ateneo de Manila College of Law whose identities I promised not to reveal.

Gutierrezs former classmate, defender and benefactor, Jose Miguel Tuason Arroyo or Mike for short, took the Bar exams three times, passing on his third try, according to my spy at the high court.

However, the Supreme Courts bar confidant, Cristina B. Layusa, refused to neither confirm nor deny the facts I gathered about the …