VP Sara requested painting modeled after Davao artist's work —Madriaga camp

The camp of Ramil Madriaga claimed that Vice President Sara Duterte requested a painting inspired by the original artwork of Davao-based artist Tanya Gaisano Lee. 

According to Ian Cruz’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the vice president’s camp is now questioning Madriaga’s credibility after Lee disputed his claims that he was the one who gifted the painting to Duterte. 

“Final na final na ba ito? Kasi kapag nahuhuli siya sa kasinungalingan, nagbabago siya ng kuwento,” said Salvador Paolo Panelo, Jr., lawyer of Duterte. 

(Is this finally the final version? Because every time he gets caught in a lie, he changes his story.) 

Madriaga earlier presented photos during a House Committee on Justice hearing to show his ties with the vice president. Among these was a screenshot of a video conference with Duterte, where a painting—allegedly gifted by Madriaga—was seen in the background.

But the artist immediately disputed that she was the one who gave the artwork to Duterte. 

After Lee’s statement, the lawyer of Madriaga said that it was an honest mistake. 

“Yung memories natin, hindi perfect ‘yan. There are sometimes, there are honest mistakes na made in good faith,” said lawyer Raymund Palad. 

(Our memories aren't perfect. Sometimes, there are honest mistakes made in good faith.) 

But they insisted that Duterte ordered Madriaga to make her a painting inspired by Lee’s work.

“This is according to Ramil noh, VP Sara gave him a picture at ang sabi, ‘Ramil, gayahin niyo. Pagawa niyo, make this as an inspiration.’ Kasi nabanggit ni Ramil na mayroon siyang scholar sa Laguna na marunong magpinta. Ang sinabi is to make this an inspiration. Pinagaya ni Ramil sa scholar siya per instruction ni VP Sara. That’s why nung makita niya sa likod, alam niya na ayan yung pinagawa ni VP Sara,” said Palad. 

(According to Ramil, VP Sara gave him a picture and said, 'Ramil, imitate this. Have one made, use this as an inspiration.' Ramil had mentioned he had a scholar in Laguna who knows how to paint... Ramil had the scholar copy it per VP Sara's instructions. That’s why when he saw it in the background, he knew it was the one VP Sara had commissioned.) 

In a photo provided by Palad, Madriaga can be seen holding a painting that was inspired by the original painting by Lee. 

“Ang sinasabi namin, Ramil was telling based on recollection niya, on a screenshot photo based on 2021, 2022 prior to election; and as proof na mayroon siyang pinagawang painting na ganun, we showed photo na may hawak siyang ganun na similar,” said Palad. 

(What we are saying is that Ramil was speaking based on his recollection of a screenshot from 2021 or 2022, before the election; and as proof that he had such a painting made, we showed a photo of him holding a similar one.) 

“We would not know kung ‘yun na yung nasa likod ni VP Sara, ‘yun yung genuine, o yung pinaggawa ni Ramil na kinuha ni VP Sara, nasa ibang bahay, we would not know, unless magsalita si VP Sara,” he added. 

(We wouldn't know if the one behind VP Sara was the genuine one, or if the one Ramil commissioned—which VP Sara took—is in a different house; we won't know unless VP Sara speaks up.) 

Meanwhile, there is another similar painting made by his scholar, but it has a full face of Duterte. Unlike Lee’s work, which has no face painted. 

“Tanungin natin si VP Sara diyan, kaso hindi po nag-a-appear. Basta ang sabi lagyan ng mukha,. Kaya yung pangatlo na, yung painting, ganun na ganun yung design…Mas mapula yung manggas, mas berde yung damit. Kasi ang sabi ni Ramil, gawing mas  mapula for reflective of BBM, tapos yung isa mas green para kay Sara, ” said Palad. 

(We should ask VP Sara about that, but she hasn't been appearing [at the hearings]. All that was said was to include a face. That’s why the third painting has the exact same design... The sleeves are redder, and the clothes are greener. Because Ramil said to make it redder to reflect BBM, and the other part greener for Sara.)