Batangas City declares Pura Luka Vega persona non grata
PURA LUKA VEGA – The controversial drag artist has been declared “Persona Non Grata” in Batangas City.
Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the city approved a resolution filed by City Councilor Boy Dimacuha declaring the drag artist, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente, as “unwelcome.”
According to the councilor, Pagente abused the “freedom of expression.” Batangas City has been added to the list of localities that declared him persona non grata, including Manila City, Dinagat Islands, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, General Santos City, Floridablanca in Pampanga, Toboso in Negros Occidental, Nueva Ecija, Coron in Palawan, Laguna, Cebu City, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, and others.
Pura Luka Vega has already responded to the “persona non grata” declarations issued against him. Last August 10, he noted via Twitter: “Tell me exactly what I did wrong. I’m open for a dialogue and yet cities have been declaring persona non grata without even knowing me or understanding the intent of the performance. Drag is art. You judge me, yet you don’t even know me.”
Meanwhile, amidst the persona non grata label and lawsuit against Pagente, he returned to the stage after performing at Apotheka Manila in Makati City. In a video posted on the microblogging site Twitter (now known as X), he can be seen performing Taylor Swift’s song “Look What You Made Me Do.”
At one point, he held a picture of himself while singing the lyrics “I’m sorry, but the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, ’cause she’s dead.” Right after performing the song, drag artist Pura Luka Vega addressed his current issue, specifically the “persona non grata” declarations issued against him, with a short message.
“Simple lang naman ang masasabi ko, lahat tayo makasalanan tama? Hindi tayo perpekto tama? Para sa mga ibang lugar na gusto pa mag persona jan, dagdagan nyo pa. Pakialam ko sa separation ng Church at ng State. Ayun lamang po. Thank you po,” he said.
Related Article: Pura Luka Vega on Being Declared Persona Non Grata: “Dagdagan nyo pa”
For more news and the latest updates, feel free to visit Newspapers.ph more often as well as our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
