USC law students are nation’s best debaters

The University of San Carlos (USC) College of Law debating team successfully defended its title against University of the Philippines (UP) in the recently-concluded Square Off: The Firm Debates over the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC).

The USC debaters went up against UP in the finals at the Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN last Friday.

The issue for debate was whether or not the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee should continue investigating the pork barrel scam notwithstanding the fact that cases were already filed with the Ombudsman.

USC took the negative side of the proposition.

The USC Law debating team is composed of Athena Plaza, Vince Joseph Cesista and Alvin Clyde Gregorio. Their coach is lawyer Daryl Bretch Largo.

USC defeated University of Perpetual Help in the elimination round, Far Eastern University-De La Salle University Law in the quarter-finals and San Beda College of Law (Manila) in the semi-finals.

Aside from being declared the Champion in Season 7 of Square Off, USC’s Cesista was also adjudged Best Speaker in the competition.

Last year, USC won the debating contest by defeating Ateneo de Manila University in the finals.

USC College of Law Dean Joan Largo was elated with the school’s triumph which adds to the distinction of the USC College of Law as among the top law schools in the country.

Advocacy skills

“I am very happy and grateful for this win. This only shows how well developed the advocacy skills of our students in the USC College of Law are,” she told CDN.

“Listening to them debate and conduct the interpellation, I feel proud of their reasoning prowess and their ability to persuade, two skills most crucial to a good law practice,” she added.

Dean Largo is the wife of the USC debating team’s coach.

The law students debate dubbed “Square Off” is hosted by broadcast journalist Maiki Oreta and sponsored by the Villaraza and Angcangco Law Offices, one of the most influential law offices in the country which is also known in legal circles as The Firm.

The competition was participated in by 16 law schools all over the country – San Beda College (Alabang), San Beda College (Manila), Far Eastern University, Far Eastern University-Dela Salle University, Arellano University, Cor Jesu College, Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Davao University, San Sebastian College Recoletos, Palawan State University, University of Perpetual Help, University of Batangas, University of Cebu, University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines and USC. /Ador Vincent S. Mayol, Reporter