In a rare and unprecedented show of unity, former members of the historically rival student political formations from the University of the Philippines (UP)—SAMASA and Nagkaisang Tugon—have jointly called for the resignation of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. The groups described his handling of the recent Senate controversy involving Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as a “grave failure of leadership, judgment, and institutional responsibility.”
SAMASA and Tugon represent competing traditions and sharply divided political convictions, having stood on opposite sides of some of the fiercest ideological and political battles in UP student politics for decades, particularly during the 1980s.
However, in a joint statement released Saturday, the coalition declared that the gravity of the present crisis compelled former members of both groups to set aside decades of rivalry in defense of democratic institutions and accountability.
“What makes this especially significant is that this call now includes members of Nagkaisang Tugon itself – the very student political formation under which Alan Peter Cayetano once served as a University Student Councilor,” the coalition said.
“When even one’s own political roots and former allies publicly repudiate one’s leadership, it reflects a profound belief that institutional and democratic boundaries have been dangerously crossed.”
The coalition stressed that its call is not rooted in ideology or partisan disagreement, but rather in Cayetano’s alleged misuse of the Senate’s institutional authority during the controversy surrounding Dela Rosa’s supposed protective custody.
“Under his watch, the Senate transformed itself from a constitutional institution into a stage for political theater, confusion, and brinkmanship. A situation that should have been handled with sobriety, clarity, and respect for legal processes instead escalated into chaos, conflicting statements, armed tension, warning shots, and the eventual disappearance of the very person supposedly under Senate ‘protective custody,’” the statement read.
The group argued that the Senate leadership voluntarily assumed responsibility over Dela Rosa while simultaneously obstructing or delaying lawful enforcement efforts.
“You cannot invoke the Senate’s institutional powers to shield someone from arrest, insist that you are responsible for his custody and safety, and then evade accountability when that person disappears. At that point, institutions are no longer being defended – they are being undermined.”
The statement further warned that the incident deepens public distrust in national institutions and reinforces perceptions that laws are applied selectively based on political influence and connections.
“Every spectacle like this weakens democratic norms and erodes public faith that justice applies equally to all Filipinos. People see how swiftly the law moves against the powerless and how slowly and theatrically it moves for the politically connected.”
According to the group, the consequences of this leadership failure extend far beyond a single political episode.
“When Filipinos stop believing institutions are fair, competent, or credible, society itself becomes harder to govern. Laws become weaker. Democratic norms become more fragile. Public anger becomes easier to manipulate. This is how institutional decay becomes social decay.”
The coalition maintained that the Senate cannot be turned into a “personal political shield” for allies seeking to evade accountability, criticizing Cayetano for appearing “more interested in justifying the spectacle and excusing the escape than acknowledging the gravity of what happened.”
The statement, signed by 152 former members of SAMASA and Tugon, concluded with a direct call for Cayetano to step down.
“Public office requires more than loyalty to friends and coalition arithmetic. It requires maturity, restraint, competence, and respect for institutions larger than oneself. If Alan Peter Cayetano still possesses a sense of political responsibility – and yes, shame – he should recognize the damage this episode has done to the Senate and resign.”