Occidental Mindoro declares Pura Luka Vega ‘persona non grata’
“Senator Villanueva Brands ‘Ama Namin’ Drag Performance ‘Unacceptable’ and ‘Preposterous'”
MANILA, Philippines — Drag artist Pura Luka Vega has once again been declared “persona non grata,” this time in Occidental Mindoro.
The drag artist — whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente — is now unwelcome and prohibited in the province following a resolution approved by Occidental Mindoro Provincial Council headed by Vice Governor Diana Tayag.
“Ito ay kinakailangang gawin upang magsilbing aral at hindi na pamarisan… upang maipagpatuloy ang paggalang at pananampalataya sa ating Diyos Amang Lumikha, hindi lamang ng mga kabataan, kundi pati na rin ng buong Mamamayang Mindoreño,” the council said in a statement.
(This must be done to serve as a lesson and so as not to become a precedent… to continue the respect and faith in our God the Father, Creator, not just by the youth but all of the Mindoreños.)
Vega drew flak from devout Catholics who accused the entertainer of blasphemy for performing a remix of “Ama Namin” dressed as Jesus.
The performers maintained they sang and danced to the worship song without any ill-intent, explaining that it symbolized their relationship with religion.
Manila and other local governments had previously labeled the drag artist as “persona non grata.”
The capital city issued a resolution for this purpose.
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