GenSan declares Pura Luka Vega ‘persona non grata’ after ‘Ama Namin’ drag performance
Pura Luka Vega. Images: Twitter/@dragdenph, Twitter/@ama_survivah
The General Santos City council has approved a resolution declaring Pura Luka Vega “persona non grata” which, according to the council, was meant to “show the sentiments” of the city’s largely Christian population on the drag queen’s “Ama Namin” performance.
The city council passed the said resolution condemning the viral drag performance at a session last Tuesday, July 18. During the said act, Pura Luka Vega, who goes by the pronoun they or them, dressed up as Jesus Christ and danced to a remix version of “Ama Namin” in a bar.
“…The 20th Sangguniang Panlungsod also passed a resolution condemning the Ama Namin Remix drag performance of Drag Queen Pura Luca Vega or Amadeus Fernando Pagente in real life,” the local government said on its Facebook page. “Along with that, Pagente was also declared as ‘persona non grata’ or an unwelcome person in General Santos City.”
“According to the body, while the City Council recognized the Freedom of Speech and Expression and Freedom to Travel of the performer, the resolution was meant to show the feelings and sentiments of the largely Christian population of the city,” it further said.
Pura Luka Vega has yet to comment on the matter as of this writing.
Pura Luka Vega’s drag performance made headlines earlier this month, receiving backlash from various sectors including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Despite this, the drag queen stood firm that their “Ama Namin” performance was a form of art and expression. They further stressed that it was not intended as a mockery and that it was their way of “praising God.” /ra
