DAVAO City-based artist Tanya Gaisano Lee has disputed claims made by Ramil Madriaga, the alleged witness against Vice President Sara Duterte, during a House hearing, asserting that she, and not Madriaga, personally gifted the painting featured in the proceedings to the vice president in 2021.
This followed Madriaga’s testimony before the House Committee on Justice, where he claimed to have commissioned and given the artwork to Duterte.
The 3x3 painting, titled Señorita, was presented as part of the materials linked to the ongoing impeachment complaints against Duterte.
In an Instagram story posted on April 14, 2026, Lee directly contradicted Madriaga’s testimony, emphasizing that the artwork came from her and was personally handed to Duterte when she was still mayor of Davao City.
“Anything stated otherwise is false. I am not a scholar, I am not from Laguna, I am from Davao, life is here!” Lee said.
Lee, a self-taught artist based in Davao City, is known for works shaped by personal experiences, often depicting faceless figures in textured and symbolic compositions.
Conflicting testimonies on artwork
During the hearing early this week, Madriaga testified that he had given Duterte a painting created by one of his scholars in Laguna.
“Nagregalo po ako sa kanya ng isang painting niya na ginawa po ng isang scholar ko sa Laguna,” he told lawmakers, adding that he commissioned the piece from a fine arts student.
He further claimed that the artwork was retrieved by the Presidential Security Group from his residence in Laguna and that two versions of the painting existed, with one allegedly still in his possession.
The painting was reportedly used as a backdrop during a virtual meeting between Duterte and members of ISIP (Inday Sara Is My President) Pilipinas, where Madriaga was among the officials. Screenshots from the meeting were later attached to his affidavit to support claims of familiarity with the Vice President.
Lee’s statement refuted these assertions, raising questions about the origin of the artwork and the accuracy of testimony presented during the hearing.
Earlier records support artist’s account
An earlier social media post by Duterte provides additional context. In an August 16, 2021 Facebook post, the Vice President described the artwork as created by a “Dabawenya artist,” noting its distinct style featuring faceless figures.
The post, which showed Duterte posing beside the painting, predates the current controversy and indicates that the artwork had already been in her possession at the time.
Available details from Lee’s previous posts further show that Señorita is a mixed media piece completed in 2020 and gifted in 2021.
Broader impeachment context
The dispute over the painting comes amid wider scrutiny of Madriaga’s claims in the impeachment proceedings, where he has emerged as a vocal critic of Duterte and has repeatedly asserted in public statements that he personally knows the Vice President.
In a separate sworn supplemental affidavit submitted to the House, Madriaga also disputed earlier reports on the use of ₱125 million in confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022. He claimed that the funds were not spent over 11 days, but instead fully liquidated in less than 24 hours.
He maintained that the funds were “disposed of” within approximately 18 hours, contradicting prior explanations on the timeline of disbursement.
According to his affidavit, the funds—released in late 2022—were allegedly transported in cash form from the Department of Education central office in Pasig City and distributed to various locations, including Quezon City and Laguna, through a coordinated operation involving multiple vehicles.
These claims remain allegations presented before a legislative inquiry and have yet to be validated in court.
Meanwhile, SunStar Davao reached out to the artist for comment, but no response had been received as of the moment. DEF