In a lengthy interview on DZMM’s "Pasada Sais Trenta" on Wednesday, Pacquiao again apologized for his controversial statements describing couples in same-sex relationships as worse than animals.
But he maintained that he opposes the idea of members of the same-sex living together and getting married as it is “detestable in the eyes of God.”
"Ang pagsasama at pagtatalik ng parehong kasarian, 'yan po ay detestable in God's sight. That's what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, kung bakit ginunaw ng Panginoon ang Sodom and Gomorrah,” Pacquiao said.
“Ang marriage, napaka-sagrado po 'yan, importante 'yan sa mata ng Panginoon. For me you're insulting God, if you're doing that (homosexual acts).”
This doesn’t mean, however, that he is condemning homosexuals, he said, pointing out that he has a gay nephew and that he is strongly supported by the LGBT community in his constituency in Sarangani province.
“Sa totoo lang po, ang dami kong LGBT na mga scholars, more than 100-200. So ‘di ko kinokondena ang mga LGBT. ‘Yung gagawin, ‘yung [sexual] act ang ayaw na ayaw ko,” he explained.
But according to Bemz Benedito of Ladlad Partylist, Pacquiao never supported gay rights even while serving as a congressman.
In a separate interview, Benedito said the Sarangani congressman never attended committee deliberations where proposals like the Anti-Discrimination Bill were tackled.
“With all due respect to him, apat na beses lang po siyang pumasok sa Kongreso at hindi po siya uma-attend sa committee deliberations,” said Benedito. “Sana kung nandoon siya, napakinggan niya kung ano ang mga suliranin ng mga LGBT, ang daming nadidiscriminate on a day-to-day basis.”
As a result of Pacquiao’s statements, Benedito said they will also be campaigning against the boxing superstar.
“Dalawa na sa mga kaalyado natin na superstars, si Vice Ganda at si Boy Abunda, ang nagsabi na hindi po siya iboboto at i-encourage ang kanilang mga kaibigan, kapamilya,” he said.
“Ganun din po ang aming gagawin. Bababa kami sa mga provincial captain, coordinators, members. Ito po ay ica-cascade namin na dapat, knockdown na sa aming mga balota, hindi na po dapat suportahan. Ikakampanya din namin po saaming mga pamilya, mga kaibigan dahil masyado na pong naging masakit ang mga statements niya,” he continued.
Despite the threat, Pacquiao refused to back down.
“I don't want to compromise naman kung iyan ang desisyon nila. Pinaliwanag ko ang side ko but I dont' want to compromise my belief and faith to the Lord,” the two-term congressman said.
“I don't want to compromise 'pag mali io-OK ko na para maboto ako, no. Para sa akin kung ganun ako sa sarili ko, may hidden agenda.”
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
