LegMa stude leads HAUDC in MAD Law Debate Cup

Excel John Esguerra, a fourth-year BSBA in Legal Management, led the Holy Angel University Debate Congress (HAUDC) to the semi-finals and secured a fourth-place finish, attaining the titles of “Best Speaker” and “Best Debater” in the recently held Movement Against Disinformation Law Debate Cup, which was hosted at the Lyceum University of the Philippines (LPU) School of Law on May 12 and May 19, 2024. 

Under the guidance of HAUDC Adviser Paul Ernest Carreon, alongside Esguerra, John Matthew C. Sausora, and Arnold Alejo R. Nunag from the School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA) and School of Computing, respectively, participated in the event.

In an interview with Esguerra, the team captain gave his initial insights before the start of the competition.

“As their team captain, I am happy that I was able to debate against law schools for the first time in my debating career. It was a dream come true for me; I have a passion for the study of law and everything that surrounds it. However, I felt the pressure at the same time upon discovering that we were the only participating school that is not a law school.”

Despite the predicament, HAUDC beat Saint Louis University School of Law and San Beda College Alabang School of Law in the preliminary and quarterfinals. 

Esguerra shared that although they did not expect to beat such prestigious law schools, they persevered with their prior experience with the debate format and utilized their collective knowledge of the topics presented.  

Meanwhile, in the semi-finals, the team faced defeat against Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Law, ending their run in the competition and securing a fourth-place spot.

The team captain shared that despite the loss, they had learned plenty from the experience, expanding their knowledge base and engaging in constructive discussions on the different interpretations of the law. 

“If you are passionate about debating but hesitant to start, I urge you to do so and engage in meaningful arguments. Bring out your passion and confidence so that together, we can participate in intellectual discourse and contribute to creating a better society. Remember, words shape worlds,” Esguerra added.

LAYOUT ARTIST(S): Christian Aviv Cruz