'God is on our side,' says Pura Luka Vega after second arrest

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'God is on our side,' says Pura Luka Vega after second arrest

Josiah Eleazar Antonio,

ABS-CBN News

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 Amadeus Fernando Pagente, whose drag name is Pura Luka Vega, performs at a bar in Taguig, Metro Manila on December 22, 2023. Jam Sta. Rosa, AFP Amadeus Fernando Pagente, whose drag name is Pura Luka Vega, performs at a bar in Taguig, Metro Manila on December 22, 2023. Jam Sta. Rosa, AFP 


MANILA — Embattled drag artist Pura Luka Vega said they would "keep fighting" after their second arrest for their viral "Ama Namin" performance. 

"Medyo may natutunan tayo from the first one [arrest] na na-apply ko na for the second one," Pura told reporters in an interview.

"We were born resilient. We have gone to probably much worse para sa 'kin laban lang," they added.

Pura was arrested for a second time in late February for “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions and indecent shows”, by virtue of a warrant issued in Quezon City. Pura was earlier arrested for the same charges in October 2023.

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"We were able to anticipate the warrant in Pasay City. We paid for the bail for that one that we didn't get the resolution was in QC, that's why I had a warrant, I didn't know that I'll have a warrant. We followed naman. I had no intention of running away naman from the police anyway," Pura said.

In the face of upcoming court hearings, the drag artist said, "I'm good. I can really just count my blessings and I'll be fine. There's a lot of things to be grateful for."

"I stand firm to my beliefs that I did not do anything wrong. This is purely my expression of my queerness and my faith and there's nothing wrong with that," Pura said of the Ama Namin performance that made them a persona non grata in several areas. 

"I hope people would get to see it the way queer people see, drag is never a crime. It's really just an expression and it's a beautiful art form," they added.

Pura added that they still believe in the "Divine Being", who is on the side of the oppressed.

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"Apart from my family and my friends, hindi naman nag-waver ang paniniwala ko sa Divine Being. It's weird but I think God has always been on our side, the side of the oppressed and the side of the LGBTQIA+ community and that's what matters. Thank you, Lord," they said.

Pura said that their case is "like a litmus test" of Philippines' acceptance of the LGBT community. 

"Are we really that accepted here? We claim to be a LGBT-friendly country and yet we don't know if we have the rights that we deserve," Pura said.

"We've been deprived of a lot of things, you know it's interesting. You get to see where we are at exactly," they added.

Pura thanked their supporters, saying: "This has been a trying time for everyone. Just as long as within your heart, just be courageous and live your life to the fullest."

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"Don't think about what other people prescribed you to be. Just be who you are and you are loved exactly the way you are, you are born that way."

 

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