Boy Abunda was in a fighting stance last night, February 16 2016, as he fearlessly tackled Manny’s controversial statement on same-sex marriage and homosexuality.
Manny said in an interview it’s common sense, that one cannot see any animal going after their own kind. Thus, animals are better because they know how to differentiate between male and female. If man (meaning, LGBT) is into male to male or female to female unions, then man is worse than animal.
Pacman’s statement ignited various reactions online. Most netizens, including local and international celebrities, condemned the words he used in expressing his beliefs.
In his opening spiel for “Tonight with Boy Abunda” (TWBA), Boy noted that Pacquaio has apologized for his statement. Nevertheless, Boy wanted to air his side, because he kept his resentment and anger inside him the whole day.
https://youtu.be/ucVz8FZv5sE
Boy made a disclaimer at the outset that he is only expressing his own opinion and not those of ABS-CBN network nor TWBA.
The TWBA host said that Pacman’s statement hurt him so much because he respects the athlete considerably.
He said he does not know what Pacman’s yardstick is when he says
“tao” (man).
Taking a swipe at Pacman’s comparison of man with animal, Boy made the following statements:
“Kung ang tao ay nananakit, kung ang tao ay nangyuyurak ng karapatan ng ibang tao, e gugustuhin ko na pong maging hayop. Kung ang ibig sabihin ng hayop ay gumagalang, ang ibig sabihin ng hayop ay nagmamahal, then I am an animal.” ( If man inflicts pain, if man tramples on the rights of other people, I would rather be an animal. If being an animal means giving respect, if being an animal means loving, then I am an animal. )
Boy said that way back 2012, he saw an Associated Press interview wherein Manny said he is against same-sex marriage but does not condemn homosexuals. He respected his opinion then because he believes there is space for “respectful, vibrant debate”.
But Boy said that Manny’s latest statement, in his opinion, “crossed the line“. He then addressed Manny, saying, “Hindi ako papayag Manny, if you’re watching, na matawag mo ako na mas masahol pa sa hayop” (I will not agree Manny, if you’re watching, that you can call me as someone lower than an animal.). “I am lower, than an animal?“, Boy asked pointblank.
Boy recalled the struggles of the black people and women in their fight for dignity, humanity, and equality. He wants Manny to know that like them, the LGBT community will not also stop until the end of their lives. They will fight for their right to equality and dignity because they were robbed of these rights.
Again, Boy addressed Manny and said, “I am not begging Manny Pacquaio for dignity. I am not begging you for respect. I am not begging you for my humanity, because you do not own my humanity. Akin yun (It’s mine), that’s my birthright.”
At several points in his talk, someone must have been signalling Boy to cut his message short. But the host was too fired up to stop. He was still visibly angry and emotional regarding the issue.
Taking the line of Manny’s argument using “common sense”, Boy cited pro-gay statements of Barack Obama – For if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well; Hillary Clinton -Gay rights are human rights; and Pope Francis – If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am i to judge?”
Then for the nth time Boy addressed Manny directly, with the strongest words in his whole talk. He said, “Manny, sino ka? Sino ka para maghusga? Saan ka kumuha ng kapangyarihan para tawagin kami na mas masahol pa sa mga hayop?” (Manny, who are you? Who are you to judge? Where did you get the power to describe us as worse than animals?)
The last question he posed was in connection with Manny’s senatorial bid. Boy asked, “Palagay mo ba, iboboto ko ba ang isang tao na ang tingin sa akin ay hindi tao? Iboboto ko ba ang isang tao na ang tingin sa akin ay mas masahol pa sa isang hayop?” (Do you think i will vote for a person who looks at me like I’m not human? Will I vote for a person who sees me as worse than an animal?) He tells Manny that the answer lies in his own words, “common sense”.
Boy talked about the subject for more than 5 minutes, taking about one third of the time alloted for his program, showing how passionate he is about the issue.
Up until this writing, the comments and discussions about Manny’s controversial statement has not stopped. It will probably hound Manny for the rest of his campaign for a Senate seat.
