Drag artist Pura Luka Vega or Amadeus Fernando Pagente in jail. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – A religious organization said Thursday it would pray for drag artist Pura Luka Vega or Amadeus Fernando Pagente to have a clear mind.

Alex Irasga, technical adviser of the Hijos del Nazareno – Central, expressed hope that Pagente would fully repent over the blasphemous acts he has committed against God.

“We pray that Mr. Pagente will find clarity in the charges he is facing in relation to his desecration of the sanctity of our Lord,” Irasga said in an interview over the church-run Radio Veritas.

Pagente was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in connection with the case filed against him by the group for violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code – immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows and Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for his controversial drag performance singing a punk rock remix version of the “Ama Namin” or The Lord’s Prayer while clad in a costume resembling the Black Nazarene.

The Manila Police District’s Sta. Cruz station served the arrest warrant issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 36 against Pagente.

The respondent did not attend the hearings in the case filed by the Hijos del Nazareno – Central and insisted that he did not receive any subpoena regarding the case.

Irasga noted that at the beginning of the case, the group left the trial to the country’s justice system.

Apart from the case filed by the devotees of Jesus the Nazarene, the evangelical group Philippines for Jesus Movement also filed a complaint.

Pagente was allowed to post bail set by Manila RTC Branch 36 acting presiding Judge Czarina Encarnacion Samonte-Villanueva in the amount of PHP72,000.

The drag artist, however, insisted that his act was an “expression of faith.” (PNA)