Pacquiao stands up for victims of hate crimes: 'Ako labanan mo, duwag'

MORE than an eight-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao has always fancied himself as the people's champion.

On Thursday, the boxing superstar and Philippine senator took a stand against hate crimes that have targeted Asians and other minorities in the US.

"We have one color in our blood. Stop discriminating. Love and peace to everyone," Pacquiao said in a post he punctuated with the hashtag #StopAsianHate.

On Tuesday, an assault on a 65-year-old Filipino-American in New York by an unidentified man shouting anti-Asian slogans cast the spotlight on discrimination against Asians.