Philippine boxer and politician Manny
Pacquiao has apologized for comparing gays to animals.
“I'm sorry for hurting people by
comparing homosexuals to animals,” he said Tuesday in a Facebook
post, the
BBC reported. “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.”
The Christian conservative politician
is running for a seat in the Philippine Senate.
Earlier this week, while speaking to
local station TV5, he said: “It's common sense. Will you see any
animals where male is to male and female is to female?”
“The animals are better. They know
how to distinguish male from female. If we approve [of] male on
male, female on female, then man is worse than animals.”
Pacquiao initially appeared to stand by
his comments in the face of growing criticism, writing on an
Instagram post that he was “just telling the truth of what the
Bible says.”
(Related: Manny
Pacquiao reiterates his opposition to gay marriage.)