Cebu law students to compete in D.C.

CEBU, Philippines- Five law students from Cebu will represent the Philippines in the international competition to be held in Washington D.C. next month.

The students from the University of San Carlos College of Law will battle against representatives from other prestigious law schools in the world in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the largest moot competition in the world.

USC sophomore law students Rashid Vedra Pandi, Vincent Joseph Cesista and Rheland Servacio; and junior students Kay Beverly Go and Lenie Rocel Rocha will be making history as the first representatives from a Cebu law school.

Lawyer Joan Largo, USC law dean, said that for so many years it is always the Manila-based schools that represented the country in this competition.

But “for the first time,” she said, Cebu can already be “proud” that it is now sending its own products to compete with students from Harvard, Yale, Oxford and other well-known universities in America and other countries.

It was not a walk in the park, however, for these five law students because they have to win three local competitions before getting the slots.

The USC team bested other law students from Ateno de Manila University, Far Eastern University, San Beda College, Siliman University, and others.

 Largo said Jessup is a “World Cup” version of the international law, hence a “provincial school,” as what is commonly termed by outside-Manila universities, like USC being selected to represent the country is already “historical.”

Cesista said they may have a short time to prepare considering that the competition is just a month away and they will be facing other students from big universities abroad, but they will do their best to bring home the trophy.

 Since the competition started in 1963, the country had won twice: the University of the Philippines in 1995 and the Ateneo de Manila University in 2004.

Cesista said Asian universities have fared well in the competition with National University of Singapore leading the way being champion for four years and a runner-up seven times.

Cesista hopes that Cebu could contribute to this record by winning the championship this year.  (FREEMAN)