BELOW THE BELT

Pacquiao: Gays Are ‘Worse Than Animals’

Boxing champ apologizes after outrage.

Manny Pacquiao—the boxing world champion, politician, and part-time pastor—apologized Tuesday for saying that gays “are worse than animals.” The athlete, who is running for a seat in the Philippines senate, said in an interview, “Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female.” Pacquiao’s comments upset many, including Filipino comedian Jose Marie Borja Viceral, who said, “Some people think they can judge people like God just because they’ve attended a prayer meeting and read the Bible.” Pacquiao now serves as a member of the Filipino house of representatives. Pacquaio swiftly rowed back on his remarks, writing on his Facebook page: “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.”