Manny Pacquiao made the Philippines and Filipinos proud, said Mon Ilagan, UNA spokesperson. Ilagan added that detractors should also remember the good that Pacquiao did and not only his comments about same-sex marriage. AP FILE
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said it was about time that the uproar over the views of senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao about same-sex marriage to die down.
In a press briefing on Saturday night, UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan said the public should look instead at the pride Pacquiao had brought the country as a boxing champion.
“Manny has said everything. The issue will naturally die down. Kailangang respetuhin din natin ang pananaw ng bawat isa sa atin,” Ilagan said.
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“Tandaan din natin ang nagawa ni Manny Pacquiao sa buong Pilipinas. Pinasikat niya ang Pilipino. We should not forget that. Siguro naman, with that, i-rest na natin ang issue. Patayin na natin ang issue,” he added.
Sen. Nancy Binay, the daughter of UNA standard bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay, said Pacquiao already sincerely apologized for his comments.
She said it had also been difficult for Pacquiao to humble himself to make the apology.
Asked about her reaction to Pacquiao’s citing Biblical passages which say gay people are condemned to hell, the senator said the public should respect Pacquiao’s position in the same way he respects his critics’ stance.
“We just have to respect each other’s belief and opinion. Nag-apologize naman na si Cong. Manny. Dapat respetuhin din natin ang posisyon niya pagdating sa isyu ng (same-sex marriage),” she said.
Pacquiao was criticized by LGBT personalities, among them Vice Ganda who called him a false prophet and Ladlad founder Danton Remoto who said Pacquiao is a “numbskull” for not thinking that even animals exhibit homosexual behavior.
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Hollywood celebrity blogger Perez Hilton in his blog called Pacquiao’s statement “barbaric.”
“Common sense lang. Makakakita ka ba ng any animals na lalaki sa lalaki, babae sa babae? Mas mabuti pa yung hayop. Marunong kumilala kung lalaki, lalaki, o babae, babae,” Pacquiao said.
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“Kung lalaki sa lalaki, babae sa babae, eh mas masahol pa sa hayop ang tao,” the boxer added.
Pacquiao has apologized for his mistake of comparing gays to animals, but he maintained his stance opposing same sex marriage.
In a dzMM interview on Wednesday, Pacquiao said it was the sexual act between the same gender, not the persons of the LGBT, which he condemned.
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US sports equipment giant Nike has sacked Pacquiao as its endorser for his gay slurs.
READ: Nike axes Pacquiao over gay slurs – official