BOXING legend-turned-politician Manny Pacquiao took to social media to defend his stand against same-sex marriages that has come under fire not just from various LGBT groups but also from other famous personalities.
The Sarangani representative, who is seeking a Senate seat in this year's elections, shared to TV5's Bilang Pilipino 2016 why he strongly against same sex marriages, describing couples in such unions as 'worse than animals.'
"Common sense lang. Makakita ka ba ng any animals na lalaki sa lalaki o babae sa babae?... Ngayon, kung lalaki sa lalaki o babae sa babae eh mas masahol pa sa hayop ang tao," he said in the interview.
The video has since turned viral and has drawn the ire of the LGBT community and netizens alike. Danton Remoto of the Ladlad Party List has issued a statement on their Facebook page. urging the public not to vote for Pacquiao for the senatorial candidate's 'kabobohan' anti -LGBT comment.
Please do NOT vote for so-called Rep. Manny Pacquiao for senator of this land. His anti-LGBT statement betrays a shallow...
Posted by Ladlad Party-List on Monday, February 15, 2016
Celebrities like Vice Ganda, Aiza Seguerra, and John Lapus have also voiced their disgust against Pacquiao's stand on social media. In a series of tweets, Vice Ganda slammed Pacquiao as a 'false prophet' not needed in the Senate.
The LGBT is a group of people. We are humans. But not animals. Though we're no saints we will pray for Manny Pacquiao.
— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) February 16, 2016
Ang kailangan sa Senado ay mga bihasa sa pulitika, sa batas, sa ekonomiya. Hindi mga bulaang propeta.
— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) February 16, 2016
Seguerra, meanwhile, took to Instagram in calling Pacquiao a 'bigoted hypocrite.'
Lapus also asked for the public not to vote for Pacquiao in the May senatorial elections on Twitter and Instagram.
Pacquiao, though, remained defiant. On his Facebook and Instagram page, the Senatorial aspirant under the United Nationalist Alliance clarified that he's not condemning the LGBT community, just the act of same-sex marriage that he says is not in accordance with the Bible. He goes on to cite Bible verses as his proof.
The 37-year-old congressman is in eighth place among Senatorial bets, according to the latest SWS survey.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph