Pacquiao: I’m not against gays, just their acts

MANILA -- Boxing champ and senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao clarified that he has nothing personal against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

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

You do not own my humanity, Boy Abunda tells Pacquiao

MANILA - An irate Boy Abunda, the most popular gay television host in the country, has lashed out at world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who denounced people in a same-sex marriage as "worse than animals."

Abunda, who is in a relationship with his partner for more than three decades, criticized the senatorial aspirant for "crossing the line" with derogatory remarks.

"Kung ang tao ay nanakit, nangyuyurak ng karapatan ng tao, eh gugustuhin ko na po maging hayop," Abunda said in the Tuesday episode of his late night talk show. "Kung ang ibig sabihin po ng hayop ay gumagalang, nagmamahal, then I am an animal."

He then equated the struggle of the LGBT community for equality to that of America's civil rights movement during the 1960s, as well as to the struggle of women for the right to vote.

He also quoted US President Barack Obama, former US senator Hillary Clinton, and Pope Francis with regard to their viewpoints towards the rights of the LGBTs.

"Why am I saying this Manny? Dahil gusto kong malaman mo na hindi sila tumigil sa kalalaban para sa kanilang mga karapatan," Abunda explained.

"At kami sa LGBT community, hindi rin kami titigil hanggang sa dulo ng buhay namin, hanggang kamatayan ipaglalaban namin ang karapatan to equality and to dignity. Dahil ninakaw ito sa amin."

"I am not begging Manny Pacquiao for dignity. I am not begging you for respect. I am not begging you for my humanity because you do not own my humanity. Akin iyon. That's my birthright."

He also said he will not vote for Pacquaio in the upcoming elections, much like gay comedian Vice Ganda, who earlier voiced his disgust over the boxer-politician's controversial remarks.

"Tatakbo ka bilang senador?" Abunda asked. "Ito ang aking katanungan, palagay mo ba iboboto ko ba ang isang tao na ang tingin sa akin ay hindi tao? Iboboto ko ba ang isang tao na ang tingin sa akin ay mas masahol pa sa hayop. Manny, ang kasagutan --salita mo, common sense."

Pacquiao has apologized after facing severe criticism, but maintained that he is against same-sex marriage.

"Hindi po nagbabago ang aking desisyon na against po ako sa same-sex marriage at iyan po ang paniniwala ko. Ang pagkakamali ko lang po ay ikinumpara ko ang tao sa hayop. I am humbling myself before you and before God," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao ready to face Mayweather in winner-takes-all match

World boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is ready to face American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a winner-takes-all match.

The Filipino boxer made this statement during his pre-fight tradition of guesting on the American late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live" last week.

During the show, host Jimmy Kimmel proposed that Pacquiao and Mayweather face off in a boxing match where the winner will get all the money.

“Rather than any issue on financial considerations on who gets what, winner takes all, winner gets all the money. Would you sign up for a deal like that?" Kimmel told the Filipino boxing superstar on the show.

Pacquiao answered the television host’s question by saying, “Of course."

He however added that he does not think Mayweather will agree to such arrangement.

An article on ESPN.com earlier quoted Mayweather’s adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, as saying that Mayweather is planning a fight with Pacquiao in May next year.

Motivation vs. Marquez

During the same TV guesting, Pacquiao said that the claims of Mexican boxer Jose Manuel Marquez that he won their first two matches do not bother him. “I’m not angry, but I always ask myself… what I need to do to prove that I won the fight," he said.

Pacquiao is scheduled to face off with Marquez for the third time on November 13 (Manila time) in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt.

Kimmel also said that he feels like he was part of Pacquiao’s previous victories, having guested the Filipino boxer in pre-fight interviews for five times already. “Each time you’ve been here, you win the fight. I feel like we’re a team," he said.

To which Pacquiao replied, “I feel like you’re lucky."

After the interview, Pacquiao and Kimmel did a duet rendition of the Bee Gees hit “How Deep Is Your Love?" — KBK, GMA News

Source: gmanews.tv