In a striking development within the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City-based artist Tanya Gaisano Lee has publicly challenged the testimony of alleged witness Ramil Madriaga during a recent House Committee on Justice hearing. Lee firmly asserts that she, not Madriaga, personally gifted the painting featured in the proceedings to Duterte back in 2021, directly contradicting Madriaga's claims under oath.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge in High-Stakes Hearing
During the hearing earlier this week, Ramil Madriaga testified that he had commissioned and presented the artwork, titled Señorita, to Vice President Duterte. He described it as a piece created by one of his scholars from Laguna, adding that he had retrieved it from his residence with the help of the Presidential Security Group. Madriaga further alleged that two versions of the painting exist, with one still in his possession, and linked it to a virtual meeting with Duterte and ISIP Pilipinas members, using screenshots as evidence in his affidavit to demonstrate familiarity with the Vice President.
Artist's Firm Rebuttal via Social Media
In a decisive Instagram story posted on April 14, 2026, Tanya Gaisano Lee directly refuted these assertions. She emphasized, "Anything stated otherwise is false. I am not a scholar, I am not from Laguna, I am from Davao, life is here!" Lee, a self-taught artist renowned for her textured and symbolic compositions often depicting faceless figures, clarified that the mixed media piece Señorita was completed in 2020 and personally handed to Duterte in 2021 when she served as mayor of Davao City.
Historical Evidence Supports Artist's Claim
Earlier records bolster Lee's account. On August 16, 2021, then-Mayor Sara Duterte posted a photograph on her official Facebook page, posing beside the painting and describing it as the work of a "Dabawenya artist," highlighting its unique style with faceless figures. This social media post predates the current controversy, indicating the artwork was already in Duterte's possession well before Madriaga's testimony, raising significant questions about the accuracy and origins of the claims presented during the House hearing.
Broader Implications for Impeachment Proceedings
The dispute over the painting unfolds against a backdrop of wider scrutiny in the impeachment process, where Madriaga has emerged as a vocal critic of Vice President Duterte. In a separate sworn supplemental affidavit submitted to the House, Madriaga also contested reports on the use of ₱125 million in confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President in 2022. He claimed the funds were fully liquidated in less than 24 hours, not over 11 days, and alleged they were transported in cash from Pasig City to locations like Quezon City and Laguna via a coordinated operation involving multiple vehicles.
These allegations remain unvalidated in court and are part of the legislative inquiry. Meanwhile, attempts by SunStar Davao to reach Tanya Gaisano Lee for additional comments have so far gone unanswered, leaving the public to weigh the conflicting testimonies as the impeachment proceedings continue to evolve.
