I’m sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I’ve hurt. 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.
Posted by Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Filipino boxing icon and senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao has apologized to the public for comparing gays to animals in his stand against same-sex unions.
In a 47-second Facebook video uploaded on Tuesday night, the Sarangani representative said sorry for his statement relegating homosexuals as “worse than animals.”
“Nais ko pong humingi ng paumanhin sa mga nasaktan dahil sa aking pagkumpara sa tao sa hayop. ‘Yun po ay kamalian ako. Ako po ay humingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng mga nasaktan,” Pacquiao said.
(I’m sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I’ve hurt.)
READ: Bible-quoting Pacquiao: ‘I’m not condemning anyone, but…’
But Pacquiao said he was firm on his stand against same-sex marriage.
“Hindi po nagbabago ang aking desisyon. Against po ako sa same-sex marriage, at ‘yun po ang paniniwala ko. Ang mali ko lang po ay kinumpara ko ‘yung tao sa hayop. Humihingi po ako ng pumanhin,” Pacquiao said.
(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.)
Boxer Manny Pacquiao tours the Asia Society in New York on October 12, 2015. Pacquiao, who announced on October 5 that he will be running for senator in the 2016 Philippine general elections, is in town to receive Asia Society’s 2015 Asia Game Changer of the Year Award, which recognizes those making a transformative and positive difference for the future of Asia and the world. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY
“I am humbling myself before you and before God for my mistake. Thank you and God bless,” he added.
Pacquiao, who is running under Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Allliance, has earned the ire of netizens, celebrities, and the lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender community for his remark. TVJ
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