Everyone has basic freedom to express him or herself to a certain degree (limited by Libel laws) which is enforced and protected by the constitution. This is one of the basic freedom and foundation of democracy in the Philippines.
Everyone can express and post in social media; an online ‘marketplace of ideas’ where anything can spread like wildfire especially if it involves influential and popular celebrities, just like the case of Manny Pacquiao.
The Eight-division boxing world champion turned Philippine Congressman (Saranggani Representative) and now running for a Senatorial seat in the 2016 Philippine election, Manny Pacquiao has recently been involved in a big debacle concerning his conservative stance on ‘same sex marriage’ in a political series television interview later posted online.
Within the day of the videos posting, it exploded online and can be considered one of 2016 highlights as it involved politics, religion, and the plight of a Filipino LGBT community which mostly has been fighting for equal civil rights (mainly the ‘legalization of same sex marriage’ and pushing for the passing of ‘anti-discrimination’ laws) for decades now.
Just like how the senatorial aspirant Manny Pacquaio freely exercised and expressed his ‘opinion’ and political stance which he may or may not have a voiced on depending on the results of the Philippine election 2016, influential celebrities who understand the ‘LGBT cause’ and actual members of the LGBT community have expressed their own opinion on the seemingly ‘bigoted’ remark of Pacquaio.
Some of the said popular celebrities include Aiza Seguerra, Vice Ganda, and Lea Salonga have voiced their reaction about Pacquiao’s statement on their various social media accounts.
ABS-CBN entertainment host and interviewer Boy Abunda also shared his thoughts in a segment of his late-night show which seemingly delivered a deadly punch like that of Juan Manuel Marquez in the 6th round during the PAcquiao-Morales welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas back in December 8, 2012.
Upon receiving ire from outspoken netizens who found offense in his stance against ‘same sex marriage’ spanning a global scale, Manny Pacquiao later released a public apology video which only targeted his demeaning and offensive comparison on the members of the LGBT community’s tendencies to seek out partner which he considered as ‘far worse than an animal’.
The public ‘apology’ video featured a cross-armed straight-face Pacquiao who might seemingly be ‘apologetic’ for such ‘uncalled for’ remark emphasized that it does not mean that his firm conservative stance on ‘same sex marriage’ changed.
One would initially think that Manny Pacquiao will let this all settle down, but this was not the case as ABS-CBN News captured the vulnerable moment when Manny Pacquiao once again quoted the Bible that homosexuals must be “put to death.”
Manny Pacquiao’s February 18, 2016, early Thursday morning Instagram post which was later deleted quotes Leviticus 20:13 from the Old Testament,”Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable… If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”
