u/FrenchFries_7118

I think we are all asking the wrong question here.

Dean himself called what happened a “deliberate deception”, conduct contrary to the honesty, integrity, and honor expected of future members of the legal profession. If reports are true that this was not an isolated incident but a repeated pattern, then the question goes beyond what she did. The question becomes: Are the consequences truly commensurate with the gravity and repetition of the offense?

A one-week suspension and automatic failure may be a penalty, but if someone has repeatedly committed the same kind of misconduct, one cannot help but ask whether it is enough to deter the very behavior the school says it refuses to tolerate.

And perhaps the most uncomfortable question of all: Would the outcome have been exactly the same if she were simply an ordinary law student with no money, influence, political position, or powerful name behind her?

Because a law school cannot teach us that justice is blind while leaving its students wondering whether the scales somehow become lighter depending on who is standing before them. If integrity is the standard, then consistency must be part of it.

I came across a post in the Law Students Support Group where a freshman opened up about feeling like they didn't belong because they couldn't afford the same things as their classmates. Before I even finished reading, I already knew Atty. Lyan would be one of the first to respond.

What I admire about him is that he never dismisses students' concerns, no matter how small they may seem.
He's always willing to answer questions, offer practical advice, and remind students that their worth isn't measured by what they own or where they come from.
That kind of reassurance can mean so much, especially to someone who's just starting law school.

Reading that post also made me reflect on my own experience. While I came from a middle-class family and was fortunate enough to have the things I needed, I grew up in a broken family, there were times I envied my classmates, not because of their gadgets or their lifestyle, but because many of them still had both parents cheering them on. That's a different kind of privilege that money can't buy.

Law school can be incredibly isolating, and sometimes a few words of encouragement from a professor can make all the difference. So thank you, Atty. Lyan, for being the kind of educator who makes students feel seen and heard. San Beda is fortunate to have professors like you.
Not sure if you have classes sa Alabang this sem, but I hope maging prof po kita.

I’m a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world

Well said, brother

Appreciation post for Atty. Lyan Juanico 🫡