The Assumption Student Council (ASC) of Assumption College San Lorenzo has backed a petition calling for the removal of Senator Loren Legarda’s portrait from the school’s Wall of Empowered Women.
In a statement posted on Facebook on the night of Friday, May 15, 2026, the ASC says that "while her past contributions as an alumna are acknowledged, her recent political actions no longer reflect the values that Assumption upholds.”
Loren’s alma mater for her elementary and secondary education is a premier all-girls Catholic school.
Founded in 1892, its roster of alumnae includes former presidents Cory Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as well as former senators Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Grace Poe-Llamanzares.
Meanwhile, the ASC stresses that the Wall of Empowered Women honors individuals who consistently embody the institution’s core principles of “integrity, accountability, justice, and action.”
A photo accompanying the statement reveals a now-empty frame in place of Legarda’s portrait among the other honorees.
A video showing the removal of Loren’s portrait has also been circulating on Facebook Reels.
The ASC links its position to the May 11 senate leadership change ahead of the anticipated impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, "who stands accused of grave misuse of public funds and betrayal of public trust."
According to the statement: "Its timing raised serious concerns that the move was politically engineere.d"
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, a known Duterte ally, replaced Senator Vicente Sotto III as Senate President.
The council raises concerns about accountability and the possible implications of Loren’s vote in the leadership transition.
"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."
The full statement, signed by the ASC batches ’25–’26 and ’26–’27, reads:
"This is the official stand of the Assumption Student Council (ASC) regarding alumna Senator Loren Legarda and the petition to remove her portrait from the Wall of Empowered Women.
"While her past contributions are acknowledged, her recent political actions no longer reflect the values that Assumption upholds.
"This position is issued in light of the Senate leadership change on May 11, 2026, widely recognized by journalists, political analysts, and public observers as a Senate coup that abruptly unseated Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
"The takeover occurred as the chamber prepared to receive the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, who stands accused of grave misuse of public funds and betrayal of public trust.
"Its timing 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.
"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.
"Assumption College San Lorenzo forms leaders who are expected to act with integrity, instilled from Basic Education through Higher ducation, and define the are duat capected of every Assumptionista who enters public service.
"In view of this, the Council encourages the entire Assumption College community to support this petition.
"It is in this spirit that the Council calls upon Senator Legarda to reflect on the principles she once upheld as a student and as a public figure.
"She is encouraged 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 maintains that a place on this wall is an honor reserved for women who continuously embody Assumption's ideals in action and character, and only those who do so will ever belong there."
As of Saturday, May 16, 2026, the Assumption College San Lorenzo administration has yet to release an official statement addressing the student council’s position or the circulating petition.
Loren has not issued any public response to the students’ call, nor has she commented on the petition or the removal of her portrait.
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