Drag artist Pura Luka Vega has been acquitted of criminal charges related to his controversial “Ama Namin” performance, a Manila Regional Trial Court ruled on June 10.
The court found that prosecutors failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt under Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Branch 184’s 20-page decision emphasized that “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows” did not apply in this case, citing insufficient evidence.
Judge Czarina Samonte-Villanueva also urged Vega to exercise caution in choosing performance subjects and said the warning was “not to curtail freedom” but to promote social coexistence.
Vega, whose legal name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente, expressed relief following the verdict. “Thank you for this wonderful news. One more case left. Laban lang,” he wrote on social media.
The charges stemmed from Vega’s 2023 drag act, in which he dressed as Jesus Christ during a rock remix of the Lord’s Prayer.
The act sparked public backlash, formal complaints, and a temporary arrest—but those allegations have now been dismissed.
