Court acquits drag artist Pura Luka Vega
MANILA, Philippines — Drag artist Pura Luka Vega was acquitted by a Manila court of charges stemming from a viral performance that drew backlash in 2023. Vega dedicated the legal victory to the LGBT community.
In a statement, Vega, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente, said the win marked a triumph for freedom of expression and democracy, following the dismissal of charges filed by members of the Hijos del Nazareno under Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Law.
“We dedicate this victory to the LGBTQIA+ community,” Vega said.
The case stemmed from Luka’s October 2023 drag performance of a remixed version of the “Ama Namin” (The Lord’s Prayer), which went viral and drew criticism from religious groups, resulting in their arrest and the filing of criminal charges.
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