Assumption College removes Sen. Loren Legarda's portrait from honor wall
The Assumption College San Lazaro has removed Sen. Loren Legarda’s portrait from the school’s honor wall days after she had voted for Alan Peter Cayetano to become Senate President.
In a video shared by former Department of Tourism Undersecretary Vicente Romano III, three staff members could be seen removing Legarda's picture from the school's wall dedicated to empowered women.
The Assumption Student Council later posted a picture showing the blank frame in a row of portraits.
In their statement, the student council upheld the school's decision to remove the portrait of Legarda, an alumna from primary to high school.
"While her past contributions are acknowledged, her recent political actions no longer reflect the values that Assumption upholds," they said.
They took issue with the lawmaker's decision to support Cayetano—a staunch Duterte ally—as it occured while the Senate is preparing to tackle Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment case.
The student council stressed that the timing of the leadership change "raised serious concerns that the move was politically engineered to delay or influence the proceedings."
"Senator Legarda voted for Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, following Senator Vicente Sotto III's public statement that the impeachment trial would convene forthwith upon receipt of the Articles and be decided strictly on the merits of the case," they stated.
"No public office grants immunity from the standards of ethical conduct. Any act that enables impunity and obstruction of justice, however subtle or procedural, diminishes public trust, and compromises the dignity of institutions that serve the Filipino people," they continued.
They maintained that Assumption College forms leaders who are expected to "act with integrity, exercise social responsibility, and uphold courage of conviction."
Because of this the council expressed support for the removal of Legarda's portrait, underscoring that the wall is reserved for women who "continuously embody Assumption's ideals in action and character, and only those who do so will ever belong there."
They urged her to "clarify her actions, correct her course, and demonstrate renewed commitment to accountability and justice."
"We express our earnest hope that Senator Legarda will confront this moment with integrity and a clear sense of duty. It remains within her capacity to rebuild the trust of a community that once regarded her as an alumna of distinction. Now is the time to prove that such trust was not misplaced," the council ended.
In addition to Assumption College, the University of the Philippines Broadcasting Association has also voiced deep concern regarding Legarda, an alumna and former student leader, joining the Senate majority bloc.
They said that "her political choices now stand in contradiction with the principles of accountability, public service, and democratic responsibility that UP students are taught to uphold." They underscored how Filipinos "deserve institutions that act independently and officials willing to place democratic duty above political accommodation."
As of writing, Legarda has yet to address the criticisms raised against her shift of alliance.
