ILOILO City – In a powerful rebuttal to the long-standing notion that legal brilliance is exclusive to Metro Manila, students from the University of San Agustin – College of Law (USA-COL) in this city have earned the honor of representing the Philippines in the prestigious White & Case International Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C.
Outperforming 27 other top law schools across the country in the 2025 Divina Law-UST Philippine Jessup Cup, the USA-COL team secured its second consecutive national championship — a feat rarely achieved outside the capital’s elite institutions.
“I am very happy and proud because Iloilo will represent the whole country, beating other law schools in the country,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas, whose pride in the team reflects a broader regional confidence in local academic institutions.
“This proves that students don’t need to go to Manila because the education here is just as good as what they can get in Metro Manila,” the mayor added, signaling a shift in the perception of where legal excellence can emerge.
Treñas said the city government is exploring ways to support the team’s upcoming international campaign.
The winning team is composed of Ancel D’Cunha, Marco Giorgione Dava, Andry Pagsuguiron, Jenny Faith Arceño, and Lester John Carnaje, mentored by lawyer Anfred Panes.
In addition to their team victory, Dava and D’Cunha earned individual accolades as 5th and 7th Best Oralists in the national rounds.
The Jessup Competition, described by organizers as “the world’s largest and most prestigious moot court competition,” now becomes the next arena where these Ilonggo legal minds will showcase their skill./PN