MANILA, Philippines - Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group Ladlad on Tuesday called on the public not to vote for senatorial aspirant and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao following his comment on same-sex marriage.
"Common sense lang. Makakita ka ba ng any animals na lalaki sa lalaki o babae sa babae? Mas mabuti pa 'yung hayop," Pacquiao said in an interview with Bilang Pilipino.
Manny Pacquiao on same-sex marriage"Mas masahol pa sa hayop." Senatorial aspirant and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao had this to say when we asked him for his stand on same-sex marriage. #BilangPilipino
Posted by Bilang Pilipino on Monday, February 15, 2016
Ladlad Chair Danton Remoto said that Pacquiao's anti-LGBT statement was a shallow understanding of the issues that are important to the community.
"Ladlad supports the rights of people to have consensual, same-sex relationships that lead to domestic partnerships or even to same-sex marriage," Remoto said in a statement posted on Facebook.
Remoto noted that the rights of people to domestic partnerships or same-sex marriage can be found in the equal-rights provisions of the Constitution.
"Manny, tama na ang kabobohan," Remoto said.
Please do NOT vote for so-called Rep. Manny Pacquiao for senator of this land. His anti-LGBT statement betray a shallow...
Posted by Ladlad Party-List on Monday, February 15, 2016
GMA News ABS-CBN News CNN Philippines Rappler and others. We have a chance to Educate the public, a teachable moment and...
Posted by Geena Rocero on Monday, February 15, 2016
Meanwhile, Filipina transgender model and Gender Proud founder Geena Rocero sees Pacquiao's statement as an opportunity to educate the public about the LGBT community.
"We have a chance to educate the public, a teachable moment and refute what Manny Pacquiao said about LGBTQ people... LGBTQs and Filipinos deserve to be dignified instead of dehumanization," Rocero said in a Facebook post.
Pacquiao is a senatorial candidate of Vice President Jejomar Binay's United Nationalist Alliance. He ranked eighth in the latest Social Weather Stations senatorial survey.
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