Toughest fight: Pacman vs ‘gayweather’

MANILA, Philippines - He lost the world title to Floyd Mayweather. Will boxing icon Manny Pacquiao also lose this match?

Punsters have described the fight of this election season as “Pacman vs gayweather” – a reference to the gay community, whose hackles were raised after the Sarangani congressman said same-sex couples were “masahol pa sa hayop” or worse than animals.

Pacquiao, who is running for a Senate seat in May, initially explained that he was merely quoting teachings from the Bible. 

By early last night, however, the ensuing firestorm compelled Pacquiao to issue a public apology to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

“Nais ko pong humingi ng paumanhin sa mga nasaktan ko sa pagkumpara sa tao sa hayop (I’m sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals),” he said in a video posted on his Facebook page.

However, he said he stands firm on his belief because this was what the Bible taught.

“I still stand on my belief that I’m against same sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I’m not condemning LGBT. I love you all with the love of the Lord. God bless you all and I’m praying for you,” he said.

Pacquiao issued the controversial statement in an interview for Bilang Pilipino – the election coverage of TV5 and The STAR – a portion of which was uploaded online last Monday.

Asked about his stand on same-sex couples, Pacquiao remarked, “Mas mabuti pa yung hayop, marunong kumilala kung lalaki-lalaki o babae-babae. Kung lalaki sa lalaki o babae sa babae, e mas masahol pa sa hayop ang tao (Animals are better, they know how to distinguish male-to-male or female-to-female. If it’s male-to-male or female-to-female, humans are worse than animals),” Pacquiao said.

He said “common sense” dictated against same-sex relationships.

A Catholic before he became a born again Christian, Pacquiao is running for senator under the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) led by the party’s presidential bet Vice President Jejomar Binay.

The video, uploaded on Monday night, had been viewed over 1.5 million times and shared over 28,000 times as of late yesterday afternoon.

While there were some who agreed with Pacquiao’s views, a majority of those who commented on the video criticized the boxer for his remarks.

Danton Remoto, chair of the LGBT advocacy party-list group Ladlad, urged the public not to vote for Pacquiao.

“His anti-LGBT statement betrays a shallow understanding of the issues that are important to us. Ladlad supports the rights of people to have consensual, same-sex relationships that lead to domestic partnerships or even to same-sex marriage,” said Remoto.

“This is found in the equal-rights provisions of the Constitution, that mandates a level playing field for everybody, whether in the realm of economics or of love,” Remoto added.

Comedienne Vice Ganda tweeted: “The LGBT is a group of people. We are humans. But not animals. Though we’re no saints we will pray for Manny Pacquiao.”

Singer Aiza Seguerra, who recently married her actress-girlfriend, called on voters to boycott Pacquiao, who is also preparing for what he claims will be his final fight in April, calling him an “ignorant, bigoted hypocrite.”

“You might have done our country proud but with your statement, you just showed the whole country why we shouldn’t vote for you,” Seguerra said in a post on Instagram.

Pacquiao gave the television interview as part of his campaign for one of 12 seats in the nationally elected Senate.

The most recent surveys suggest he would win.

Hollywood gossip columnist Perez Hilton also reacted to the statement of the boxer.

“Look, if your religious beliefs prevent you from accepting same-sex marriage, that’s on you. That’s YOUR idea of propriety,” Hilton said in a post on his website.

“But there’s absolutely no call to demonize and denigrate gay people by comparing them to animals just because their love is something YOU’RE unable to accept,” Hilton added.

Pacquiao clarified yesterday that he was merely quoting the Bible when he uttered his remarks against same-sex marriage.

“I rather obey the Lord’s command than obey the desires of the flesh. I’m not condemning anyone, but I’m just telling the truth of what the Bible says,” Pacquiao said in a post on Instagram.

He then cited 1 Corinthians 6:9, which read: “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men.”

“God Bless everyone. I love you all,” Pacquiao’s post ended.

Actress Lea Salonga posted a message on her Facebook account: “I’m just going to leave this right here. Homosexuality is found in over 450 species, homophobia is found in only one. Which one seems unnatural now?”

New York supermodel and Filipina transgender Geena Rocero said that statements and beliefs like that of Pacquiao “cause discrimination, stigma, violence, isolation of LGBT people in the Philippines.”

“Sexual fluidity is well documented in the animal world. Please don’t impose your religious beliefs in your job as a government official,” Rocero added.

“Hey, Manny Pacquiao. When did love become more inhuman than the lack of compassion?” artist Juan Miguel Severo said.

“We Filipinos love our symbols and signifiers. Pacquiao won that seat because he symbolized and signified hope, resilience, greatness. But with that statement he easily became a symbol and signifier for ignorance and bigotry,” Severo noted.

‘Respect his opinion’

UNA urged the public to respect the opinion of Pacquiao.

“Congressman Pacquiao is in the best position to expound on… why he said that. But I know he is a charismatic person and a preacher,” UNA spokesman Mon Ilagan told The STAR.

“For me, there should be no discrimination and everyone should be equal. But as a Catholic, I obey the teachings of the Church,” Ilagan said.

Senatorial candidates running with Sen. Grace Poe as standard bearer and her running mate Sen. Francis Escudero scoffed at the statement made by Pacquiao.

‘Below the belt’

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares said that the remarks were “below the belt” and have no place in this day and age.

“We have an anti-discrimination bill that was not passed. Let us not further the discrimination by comparing LGBTs to animals,” Colmenares said.

Sen. Vicente Sotto III said Pacquiao was misguided and he did not agree with the statement.

Lawyer Lorna Kapunan said Pacquiao should just stick to his strengths instead of commenting on matters he is not familiar with.

“He is good at boxing so he should just stick with that,” Kapunan said.

Susan Ople said that Pacquiao needs enlightenment and guidance on issues related to LGBTs.

Gabriela party-list Reps. Emmerenciana de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan called for an apology from Pacquiao.

They said members of the LGBT community are citizens who deserve the same rights as everyone else.

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, who is also running for the Senate, corrected Pacquiao, saying animals also exhibit same-sex relations.

“I am a practicing Christian and may not approve of same-sex or LGBT marriage, but I will not stand in opposition to genuine initiatives moving for LGBT union in the country,” Gatchalian said. – With Marvin Sy, Charmie Joy Pagulong, Alexis Romero, Helen Flores