A graphic is making the rounds online claiming that drag performer Amadeus Fernando Pagente, popularly known as Pura Luka Vega, is dead. This is not true.
The graphic with the fake claim, which went viral on Facebook (FB) as early as Sept. 3, bore the text:
“REST IN PEACE PURA LUKA VEGA. Filipino artist | Influencer | Drag Queen. 1990-2023”.
It carried an image of Pagente, who uses the pronouns they and them, wearing a look interpreting Jesus Christ. The drag artist drew controversy after their performance in July where they dressed up as Christ and danced to a rock version of the Catholic prayer “Ama Namin.”
Claims of their death are false. Pagente is still alive and there are no legitimate reports on the drag artist’s alleged death.
Pagente remains active on social media, and even tweeted on Sept. 5 on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. They also performed at a bar in Makati in late August according to their Instagram account.
Some of the FB pages that posted the false graphic included a link supposedly revealing the cause of Pagente’s death, but it only led to e-commerce websites promoting baby clothes, pajamas and other products unrelated to the claim.
Pagente continues to catch flak months after their controversial performance which prompted debates on freedom of expression and religious blasphemy online. Christian church leaders have sued the artist for allegedly violating Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows.”
On Aug. 30, Oriental Mindoro joined the growing list of localities declaring Pagente persona non grata for disrespecting the “holiness of the Lord’s Prayer.”
At least 176 FB groups and pages have spread false claims on Pagente’s alleged death according to social media monitoring tool CrowdTangle. The most popular posts were published by FB groups Q o o b e e (created on April 30, 2021), Moods & Chills (Nov. 1, 2021) and FB page Efren “Magician” Reyes (March 7, 2020).
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)