VISION

The College of Law is envisioned as a top school for the professional development of lawyers, who are drawn to communion in the wisdom of God and who are exemplifying excellence, innovation, and passion for Christ’s mission.

MISSION

The SMU College of Law dedicates itself to provide quality legal education directed towards the empowerment of the rule of law in the nation, the expansion of the reach of the law in the society and the development of academic discipline that enables lawyers to cross scholarship to service and leadership to
practice.

OBJECTIVES

The SMU College of Law specifically aims:

  1. to equip the students for future legal practice so that they can render excellent legal services that respond to the needs of the modern community.
  2. to inculcate among law students law reform advocacy with particular focus on human rights, environmental protection, social reform and gender sensitivity.
  3. to train law students to be involved in academic legal research so that through their knowledge and expertise they can address burgeoning legal trepidations in the society.
  4. to produce lawyers who are highly capable and ethically principled, with genuine concern for the poor and the marginalized.
  5. to prepare law students as national leader in the public or private sector with a missionary heart who exemplify Christian values and who advocate justice, freedom, peace and equality.  

HISTORY

In line with the mission statement of SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY “to provide education directed to the service and growth of the individual human person, the community in which he lives, the country and to humanity in a progressing world with commitment to and concern for academic excellence”, the SMU Board of Trustees endorsed the plan to offer the Bachelor of Laws program in 1996, making Saint Mary’s University the first-ever institution of higher learning in Nueva Vizcaya to do so.  On the basis of CHED Temporary Permit No. 134, Series of 1996, the SMU College of Law officially opened on 20 June 1996 with 44 freshmen.  For the succeeding school years, the SMU College of Law was granted by the Commission on Higher Education the authority to operate the Bachelor of Laws course on the basis of the following: Government Permit (HEROII) No. 021, series of 1997 (to operate second year Ll.B. program for the School Year 1997-1998), Government Permit (HERO-II) No. 013, series of 1998 (to operate third year Ll.B. program for the School Year 1998-1999), and finally, Government Recognition (GR) No. 063, series of 2000 which granted Saint Mary’s University the authority to conduct and operate a complete BACHELOR OF LAWS program effective School Year 1999-2000.  Under the leadership of Atty. ROGELIO P. CORPUZ as the founding dean and with the support of the pioneer members of the Law Faculty (RTC Judge Jose B. Rosales, Prosecutor Albert G. Castillo, and Atty. Dominica D. Rosario) the following graduates were conferred their Bachelor of Laws degree on 26 March 2000.

Nerissa C. Agraam 
Marciana F. Maniquiz
Bernabe T. Cojpag 
Julieta L. Mangulabnan
Elmo T. Duque 
Fernando D. Puguon
Edna P. Forto 
Hilario M. Ruiz
Robert K. Humiwat 
Vivian V. Tarectecan
Maribas B. Lubiton 
Eddie A. Ventura
Rowena M. Mangansat


The succeeding school years witnessed the phenomenal growth of the College, not only in terms of enrolment, but also in the number of bar passers.  From 44 students in 1996, the enrolment rose to as high as 151 in 2003.  The number of lawyers produced by the College also followed an upward trend – from having a lone passer among the first batch of graduates in 2000 to 11 lawyers in 2006.  Almost 20 years after it was founded, the College of Law has produced a total of sixty-eight (68) lawyers serving in different sectors of the Philippine Society.  In view of the appointment of Atty. Corpuz as the presiding judge of RTC Branch 27, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya in 2006, Judge JOSE B. ROSALES, who just retired from the bench, took the helm of the College of Law.  Under his leadership, the College continued in its quest of providing quality legal education to students from Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Quirino, Ifugao, Kalinga, Benguet and other nearby provinces.  Upon retirement, Judge Rosales passed the baton of leadership to Atty. HERSON S. VALMORES who continued the academic culture of excellence and legal scholarship in the College.  When Atty. Valmores joined the judiciary by virtue of his appointment as MTC Judge of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, Dr. Moises Alexander T. Asuncion, briefly took charge of the college during the summer term until the deanship was finally passed on to Atty. Marie Joy M. Payumo Salgado on June 5, 2013.  Upon the issuance of Legal Education Board Memorandum Order 19, series of 2018 on December 1, 2018, SMU College of Law migrated the basic Law degree from Bachelor of Laws (Ll. B.) to Juris Doctor (JD). 

PROGRAM OFFERED

  • JURIS DOCTOR

 

Contact person and details

ATTY.  Delbert G. Galima

Dean, College of Law
Saint Mary’s University
Email Address: law@smu.edu.ph
Tel. No.: (078) 321-4457
Mobile No.: 0936-286-7271 (TM); 0961-870-8405 (Smart)

LIST OF FACULTY MEMBERS

Atty. MARITA FE B. ARGOTE, AB, Ll. B.
Atty. ABRAHAM JOHNNY G. ASUNCION, AB, Ll. B.
Atty. KRIZZA FE ALCANTARA-BAGNI, CPA, BSA, Ll. B.
Atty. WILMA D. BINBINON, AB, Ll. B.
Atty. JONATHAN R. BUDADEN, RCrim, Ph. D. Crim, BS Crim, Ll. B., MS Crim, PhD Crim.
Atty. CHRISTOPHER JOY C. CABILDO, CPA, BSA, Ll. B.
Judge LESLIE D. COSTALES, BA, IMPA, Ll. B.
Atty. EPIFANIO LAMBERT G. GALIMA, BA, Ll. B.
Atty. LIZZETTE ANN R. GUIUNTAB, BSPS, JD
Judge CHARLOTTE FRAULEIN G. LAMBINO, AB, Ll. B.
Atty. ALFRED RODERICK T. MANZANO, LPT, Ph. D., BA, BSEd- Soc Sci, MPA, Ll. B. Ph. D. Commerce
Judge GREGORIO AGAPITO P. NUESTRO, AB, Ll. B.
Dr. NAPOLEON A. OBAÑA, BS, MD, MHA
Atty. DOMINICA D. ROSARIO, AB. Ll. B.
Atty. NEIL ANTHONY L. SUGUE, CPA, BSA, Ll. B.
Atty. CAMILLE CORAZON A. VALDEZ, RN, BSN, MSN, JD, Ll. M.
Judge HERSON S. VALMORES, AB, Ll. B., MPM, Ll. M.

BEST FEATURES

  • Granted Refresher Course Permit by the Legal Education Board (LEB) from Academic Years 2016-2017 to 2020-2021.
  • 2017 Bar Examination Top 7- Atty. Krizza Fe Alcantara-Bagni
  • Establishment of Human Rights Center and Legal Aid and Advocacy Center