DCPO Maintains Maximum Security for 2026 Bar Examinations in Davao City
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has placed all designated local testing centers under maximum-security protocols throughout the three-day 2026 Bar Examinations, following a smooth and incident-free opening day on Sunday, September 6.
DCPO Chief Police Colonel Peter Madria assured the public that police visibility would be maintained throughout the examinations to protect examinees, proctors and Supreme Court personnel during the regionalized and digitalized tests.
Police conduct security inspections
Madria personally led on-site operational audits on opening day, joined by DCPO Operations Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark F. Balbuena and Police Station 3 (Talomo) Commander Police Major Sheryl Y. Bautista.
The team inspected police beats, inner-perimeter security arrangements and traffic-control operations around the Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School campus in Bangkal, one of the Supreme Court-designated local testing centers serving examinees from Mindanao.
Specialized units deployed
The security operation includes explosive ordnance disposal teams, specialized tactical personnel and dedicated traffic managers.
Police personnel have also been deployed along the congested MacArthur Highway corridor to manage vehicle and pedestrian movement and secure entry points without resorting to full road closures.
More than 12,000 take Bar exams
A total of 12,029 law graduates took the first leg of the examinations nationwide across 15 local testing centers.
The 2026 Bar Examinations, administered under Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, follow a three-day, non-consecutive schedule on September 6, September 9 and September 13.
The DCPO said its current security strategy builds on the operational plan used during the 2025 Bar Examinations at the same Ateneo de Davao venue.
During last year's exams, 13,193 candidates were admitted nationwide, with 11,425 completing the examinations. Joint police and traffic-management operations at the Davao venue recorded zero security incidents while managing traffic and maintaining perimeter safety.
With thousands of aspiring lawyers facing one of the country's most demanding professional milestones, Davao's police are keeping security tight so examinees can focus on what matters most: finishing the Bar.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D