USC Law delegation declared ‘Best New Team’
Moot Court. The team from the University of San Carlos (USC) College of Law and Governance stand before the Jefferson Memorial with Law Dean Joan S. Largo (2nd from left) and head coach Atty. Daryl Bretch Largo (extreme right). They are, from left: Rheland Servacio, Kay Beverly Go, Rashid Pandi, and Vincent Joseph Cesista.
Fete at International Law Moot Court Competition in USA
CEBU CITY (April 21, 2015) — University of San Carlos (USC) earned the distinction as “The Best New Team” in the recent Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C., USA.
This is the first time that a Moot Court Team from USC College of Law and Governance entered the competition, considered as the largest and most prestigious moot court competition in the world.
Dubbed as the “World Cup of Mooting,” it is organized by the International Law Students Association (ILSA), an organization dedicated to the promotion of international law.
The USC team first bested all participating law schools in the Philippines during the national finals last March 5-7, even just a year after the Cebu-based University first joined the competition.
As Team 675, USC reached the Octo-Finals last April 9, placing among the top 16 among the best 128 teams that advanced in the competition participated in by more than 600 law schools from over 90 countries, disclosed Atty. Joan S. Largo, USC Law dean.
International. Set for their oral arguments are Vincent Joseph Cesista, Rashid Pandi and Kay Beverly Go of the USC Moot Court Team.
The USC Moot Team composed of Rashid Pandi, Vincent Joseph Cesista, Kay Beverly Go and Rheland Servacio also achieved the 7th place in Memorials, besting 128 memorials in the international rounds.
USC Law team member Rheland Servacio.
For such an achievement in its rookie year, the organizers declared USC as “The Best New Team,” one that had Atty. Daryl Bretch Largo as head coach and Atty. Edmar Lerios as assistant coach.
“As an Octofinalist who ranked highly in the prelims, I have the honor of informing you that your team has won the award as Best New Team,” said Tariq Mohideen, director of the Jessup Competition, in a communiqué dated April 16, 2015 and received today.
Dispute
The Jessup Competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. Teams prepare oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case.
Thousands of law students from around the world worked all year long on the season’s Jessup Problem that focused on the procedural and substantive issues that arose from the secession of one province of a nation and its annexation into another.
The teams first competed in qualifying competitions within the first quarter of this year. The winners, including the USC team, advanced to the White & Case International Rounds in Washington, D.C.
The competition included the submission last Jan. 14 of a Memorial, written pleadings of each team pursuant to these rules, with that of USC placing seventh among all from 90 countries that tackled four major international issues.
“In our rookie year, we are the only country in East Asia that (made it) in the Octo (quarter) Finals,” remarked Dean Largo as she expressed gratitude to the USC administration for its support.
Enshrined
USC president Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda, SVD, congratulated the students and their mentors for their achievement, saying: “And so shall this feat be forever enshrined in the annals of our beloved school.”
“And so shall this team ever recount their battles to those who come after them. A line has been written in the sand for peers to surpass should they so care or dare,” he added.
Two members of the USC Board of Trustees (BOT) also sent their congratulatory messages, as they lauded the USC Law School for the quality of law students it has been producing.
“Outstanding! We are very proud of the achievement of our College of Law,” noted BOT chair Dr. Magdaleno B. Albarracin, Jr., who is also president of Holcim Philippines, Inc., vice chairman of Philippine Investment Management, Inc., and SVP of Bacnotan Consolidated Industries, Inc.
BOT member Dr. Carmelita Ignacio Quebengco, who holds an honorary doctorate in Educational Leadership from a US university, noted that the achievement “raised the bar” for the USC College of Law.
She lauded the USC administration “for the encouragement and support that made this achievement possible.”
Best Rookie Lawyers. Carolinians Rheland Servacio, Rashid Pandi, Vincent Joseph Cesista and Kay Beverly Go get set for oral arguments with USC Law Dean Atty. Joan S. Largo (3rd from right) and head coach Atty. Daryl Bretch Largo (extreme right) at Washington, D.C., USA.
About Cerwin
CTE Public Relations 