BY ALEX ALAGON
HOMEGROWN Artist Tanya Gaisano Lee has come forward to clarify the origins of a painting mentioned during the House committee on justice’s impeachment hearing against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, April 14.
Lee addressed claims made by witness Ramil Madriaga, who alleged that she gifted Duterte with the artwork painted by his “scholar” from Laguna.
In an Instagram story, Lee debunked the statement, clarifying that the artwork was a personal gift she gave to then-Mayor Sara Duterte back in 2021.
“Anything stated otherwise is FALSE. I am not a scholar. I am not from Laguna. I am from Davao: life is HERE,” Lee asserted.
Madriaga’s testimony had suggested the painting originated from a scholar in Laguna, a claim Lee has now firmly dismissed.
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte on Wednesday fired back at witnesses in the House Committee on Justice “mini-trial,” dismissing allegations against her academic integrity and accusing lawmakers of using public funds to fuel political attacks.
In a strongly worded statement released April 15, Duterte addressed claims made during the April 14 proceedings, specifically taking aim at a witness she characterized as a “bar flunker and kidnapping suspect.”
The witness reportedly claimed the Vice President required assistance to complete her law studies.
“I completed my studies on my own terms,” Duterte said, noting that she prioritized a “well-rounded life” over academic honors. She emphasized that she never sought special treatment from professors at San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) College of Law and was never involved in any student conduct complaints.
Duterte highlighted her 2005 graduation and subsequent first-attempt success in the Bar Exam with a General Weighted Average (GWA) of 80.
“I graduated in May 2005 and took the Bar Exam in September of the same year—something that had not been done before at SSC-R College of Law until my time. The exam that year was relatively difficult. I passed the Bar on my first attempt with a GWA of 80, five points above the minimum,” she said.
She claimed her timeline—graduating in May and taking the Bar in September—was a first for her law school at the time.
The Vice President shifted the narrative towards the ongoing impeachment efforts, labeling the Committee on Justice proceedings as an “abuse” of power.
She further alleged that the first impeachment case against her was tainted by bribery and claimed the current move is “no better.”
“Madriaga and his cohorts in the House of Representatives do not come close to my capacity to achieve results with very little effort because they cannot even weave a believable lie, much less follow the rule of law,” she said
“Mga kababayan, this mini-trial in the Committee on Justice is true to form for some of its members: abuse and corruption appear to be the only things they are capable of. Let us remember that the first impeachment case itself was marred by allegations of bribery involving members of the House of Representatives, and this second impeachment is no better,” she added.
“The failure of the administration to provide relief in this price crisis is not due to a lack of resources, but because public funds are being used for political maneuvering,” Duterte said, linking the House’s focus on her to an attempt to avoid accountability for what she called “the most corrupt budget in our country’s history.”
The House Committee on Justice has yet to issue a formal response to the Vice President’s latest allegations.
THE LEGAL counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte dismissed the allegations made by Ramil Madriaga as “delusional” and “pure fiction” after a handwritten letter from the witness dated April 11, 2026, circulated online.
In a statement released Tuesday, April 14, Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. claimed that Madriaga’s latest claims—which reportedly include details of a secret term-sharing agreement and alleged plots to oust or assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—actually bolster the Vice President’s defense by undermining the witness’s own credibility.
Allegations of assassination plots
The controversy centers on Madriaga’s handwritten correspondence, which surfaced ahead of his scheduled testimony before the House committee on justice. While the specific details of the letter have sparked intense political discussion, the Vice President’s camp was quick to go on the offensive.
“His allegations… are pure fiction, and not even remotely believable,” Panelo stated. “If the need arises, we will be happy to refute each delusional claim point by point with evidence—something that has eluded all his allegations, past and present.”
Credibility under fire
The defense team’s strategy appears focused on framing Madriaga as an unreliable narrator before he even takes the stand. Panelo argued that the witness has managed to “expose his own lies” without the need for cross-examination.
“I have repeatedly said that making Madriaga testify would just reveal his lack of credibility,” Panelo said. “He has now succeeded in doing exactly that even before uttering a single word under oath.”
The mention of “assassination plots” and “planned ousters” marks a sharp escalation in the rhetoric surrounding the House proceedings. While the House justice committee has yet to vet these specific claims formally, the Duterte camp remains steadfast that the accusations are a fabrication intended to destabilize the Vice President’s standing.
As of press time, the House committee on justice has not issued a formal response to Panelo’s statement, nor has the administration commented on the alleged plots mentioned in Madriaga’s letter.
Photo from House of Representatives FB page
- VP duterte files perjury case vs alleged ex-aide
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte filed a perjury case against a man she claims is being used as a pawn in a coordinated effort to unseat her on Wednesday, March 4.
In a media release, the vice president announced the filing of criminal charges against Ramil Madriaga, a central figure in recent House of Representatives discussions regarding a potential impeachment.
Duterte labeled Madriaga’s testimonies as “fabricated stories” intended to deceive the public.
“We cannot allow invented stories to be used to mislead the people,” Duterte said in a statement.
“Today, I filed a perjury case against Ramil Madriaga to hold him accountable for his lies.
“The vice president linked the current situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation involving her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
She argued that the same “tactics” used by critics like Antonio Trillanes—citing witnesses like Arturo Lascañas and Edgar Matobato—are now being deployed against her.
“If these lies had been questioned and charged back then, they would not have been used in the ICC against the former president,” VP Duterte noted.
Duterte pointed out that Madriaga faces kidnapping charges, which undermines his credibility.
She claimed he initially “pretended to be a campaign supporter” before suddenly emerging as a witness for impeachment.
Meanwhile, Madriaga has yet to respond to the case filed against him by the vice president.
