MANILA — The Philippines' first transgender woman lawmaker on Wednesday called out fellow members of the LGBTQIA+ community after a drag performance of the "Ama Namin" or the Lord's Prayer drew flak online.

"As a Catholic, I feel offended," Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman told ABS-CBN News in a text message, adding that being offended was "an understatement."

She also reminded those who cite the constitutional right to free expression that the said freedom was not absolute.

"Kailangan pa ba ng ganitong klaseng provocation? Anong ambag nito sa LGBT rights?" Roman said.

"Your rights end where the rights of other begin. Umayos kayo," she also said, adding such acts "do not help the cause for acceptance and equality."

Roman also reached out to Catholics who are offended by the incident.

"Sa mga Katoliko na na-offend, I feel for you. Kasama ninyo akong nasasaktan. Pero sana 'wag niyong isipin na lahat kami sa Community ay ganito. Maraming LGBT+ ang nagmamahal at naglilingkod sa Dios at Simbahan," she said.

Senator JV Ejercito had earlier called out drag performer Pura Luka Vega over the incident, where they were dressed as Jesus, and called it "blasphemy."

"This is blasphemy. This disrespects my faith. This went overboard." Ejercito said in his tweet.

But the drag performer themself said that their performance as Jesus meant no disrespect.

"I’d like to stress that my drag performance as Jesus was not meant to disrespect anyone. On the contrary, it is a drag art interpretation of worship," they said.

"I was very intentional of using a specific song and the symbolism to relate the queer crowd with the intersection of queerness and religion," they added.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reminded the public to be "extremely prudent in their actions" when using elements of religion and faith for secular purposes.

"Dancing to the tune of a sacred and biblical prayer, with matching sacred costume to boot, is completely disrespectful not only of people and institutions practicing such faith but of God Himself," said Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of CBCP's Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs.

"Faith and sacred objects are not for entertainment purposes. They are useful for channeling our deepest desire to have recourse to the Divine," he also said.

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