Notorious 'Jesus' drag queen arrested on suspicion of obscenity after show

06 October 2023 , 09:50

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The incident sparked uproar in the Philippines where 80 per cent of residents are Roman Catholic (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

A Philippines drag queen was arrested on Wednesday over their performance as Jesus Christ reciting the Lord's Prayer.

A video of the performance by Pura Luka Vega had sparked criminal complaints by Christian groups in July. The 33-year-old, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente, faces up to 12 years in jail under the Catholic-majority country's obscenity laws. Nearly 80% of the Philippines identifies as Roman Catholic.

Pagente has been charged with the offence of "immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions and indecent shows", according to a copy of the arrest warrant shared by Manila police. The video features a bearded Pagente dressed as Jesus Christ, performing a rock version of the Lord's Prayer in Tagalog. It has since been deleted.

The Philippines for Jesus Movement, comprising Protestant church leaders, registered the first criminal complaint with the Manila Prosecutor's Office at the end of July. A second complaint was then filed in August by Nazarene Brotherhood, a Catholic group. Several cities in the Philippines, including its capital Manila, also declared Pagente "persona non grata", a Latin phrase for an "unwelcome person".

A number of towns and cities across the country have declated him a "persona non grata" - or "unwanted person" (Manila Police District)

For decades, drag queens in the Philippines have been popular entertainers who impersonate singers and actresses and deliver punchlines in stand-up shows. But Pagente is part of a new generation of drag queens who use their performances to champion their causes and test the limits of free speech, BBC reports.

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They told the AFP that the arrest shows "the degree of homophobia" in the Philippines. "I understand that people call my performance blasphemous, offensive, or regrettable. However, they shouldn't tell me how I practice my faith or how I do my drag.

Supporters have been calling for Pagente's release with the #FreePuraLukaVega hash tag, arguing that "drag is not a crime". Some compared the performer's predicament with alleged murderers and sex crime offenders, whom they claimed remain free and have not been justly dealt with.

Ryan Thoreson, a specialist at the Human Rights Watch's LGBT+ rights programme, also called for the charges against Pagente to be dropped. " Freedom of expression includes artistic expression that offends, satirises, or challenges religious beliefs."

Ryan Fahey