Manny Pacquiao apologises for gays ‘worse than animals’ comment
LGBT group says the boxer has shallow understanding of issues while Filipino gay comedian Jose Marie Viceral says he will pray for him
Boxing star and Philippine Senate candidate Manny Pacquiao apologised on Tuesday for denouncing people in gay relationships as “worse than animals” but said he stood by his opposition to same-sex marriage.
Fellow Filipino celebrities were among those criticising his remarks, made when a TV network asked candidates about their views on same-sex marriage.
“It’s just common sense,” Pacquiao said in the remarks posted online by the TV5 network. “Have you seen any animal having male-to-male or female-to-female relations?”
Animals, he said, were better because they recognise gender differences, and “if you have male-to-male or female-to-female [relationships], then people are worse than animals”.
Watch Manny Pacquio’s comments, and his apology further below
Among those who reacted strongly was popular gay comedian and TV host Jose Marie Viceral, known as Vice Ganda. Vice Ganda tweeted that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders are humans, not animals. He said that they’re not saints, but that they’ll pray for the boxer, who is widely acclaimed for bringing his country honours.