The University of Bohol (UB) College of Law held the 2nd UB Law Moot Court Competition on January 2026, which marked another milestone in its commitment to excellence in legal education. Building on the momentum of its inaugural year, the competition served as a rigorous training ground for first-year Master of Legal Studies (MLS) students to sharpen their skills in legal research, memorial writing, and oral advocacy.

Featured in the contest is a uniquely interdisciplinary moot problem that pushed students, all divided into six (6) teams, to their intellectual limits. They were tasked to navigate a complex fictional case, advocating for both sides of the argument, where a judge’s personal romantic relationship sparked a conflict between his constitutional right to religious freedom and the strict standards of professional responsibility required by the legal profession.

THE PARTICIPANTS

The problem required students to integrate principles from several core subjects enrolled by the freshmen students in the first semester: Constitutional Law, Basic Legal Ethics, Criminal Law, Persons and Family Relations, Statutory Construction, Philosophy of Law.

The journey began on December 22, 2025, with an orientation on the basics of memorial writing and oral presentations.

The competitive phase kicked off with the Preliminary Rounds on January 8–9, 2026, held at the UB College of Law and judged by the UB Law Moot Club. The intensity peaked on January 10, 2026, as the action moved to the Information Resource Center (IRC) at the UB Main Campus for the Semi-Final and Final Rounds. The final round was presided over by a panel of esteemed legal professionals, providing the finalists with a realistic and challenging courtroom experience, including UB Law faculty members Judge Glenn Pergamino, Atty. Janry Fabian, Atty. Godfrey Tubo, and UB Law moot coach Atty. Jansyl Tumanda. Also joining them was UB law alum Atty. Deniel Galban.

THE JUDGES

After a series of grueling oral arguments and meticulously crafted written submissions, the following teams and individuals emerged as the 2026 champions: Champion: Team 115 Best Memorial: Team 125 Best Oralist (Final Round): Serene Lacea Best Oralist (Preliminary Round): Ellider John Mata

The event was made possible through the joint efforts of the Office of the Dean, the UB Law Moot Club, and the UB Law Student Government. By providing a platform for MLS students to apply classroom theory to practical legal scenarios, the university continues to foster a new generation of advocates capable of balancing the demands of public order with the protection of fundamental rights.

The dean of the College of Law is Atty. Greg B. Austral.

Atty. Greg B. Austral, CPA