Openly gay athlete Jason Collins calls Manny Pacquiao a ‘bigot’: ‘You should never hold public office’

US sports equipment giant Nike on Wednesday axed Manny Pacquiao after he described gay couples as “worse than animals”, slamming the Filipino boxer’s remarks as “abhorrent.”

A Nike statement said the company had severed its ties with Pacquiao, who triggered a firestorm of controversy with his comments to a Filipino broadcaster earlier this week. 

“We find Manny Pacquiao’s comments abhorrent,” a Nike statement said.

“Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community… we no longer have a relationship with Manny Pacquiao.”

Devout Christian Pacquiao, 37, had issued an apology soon after the controversy erupted.

“I’m sorry for comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I’ve hurt,” Pacquiao said in a video post on Instagram, his arms crossed.

Pacquiao, who is running for a seat in his country’s Senate, said he was not condemning homosexuals but was standing by his conservative Christian faith.

“I love you all with the love of the Lord. I am praying for you.”

Pacquiao told television station TV5 earlier this week: “It’s common sense. Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female.”

“If men mate with men and women mate with women, they are worse than animals.”

Pacquiao’s comments were greeted with revulsion in the United States, where same-sex marriage is enshrined in law following a historic Supreme Court ruling.

Jason Collins, the first openly gay athlete in the NBA, dismissed Pacquiao as “bigoted.”

“I lost all respect for you,” Collins wrote on Twitter. “Bigoted people like you (yes you are one) should never hold an office in politics.”

Pacquiao’s long-time rival Floyd Mayweather — who outclassed the Filipino in their money-spinning mega-fight last year — also took aim at the remarks.

“We should let people live their lives the way they want to live their lives. To each his own,” Mayweather was quoted by TMZ Sports as saying.

Gay marriage is outlawed in the Philippines due to strong opposition from the Catholic Church and 80 percent of the country’s 100 million people subscribe to the faith.

Gay marriages are officiated at small churches but are not recognized by the mainstream church or the state.

Pacquiao’s remarks angered some of his compatriots, with the country’s most popular gay comedian, Vice Ganda, urging his 6.7 million Twitter followers to “#PrayForMannyPacquiao”.

“Some people think they can judge people, like God, just because they’ve attended a prayer meeting and read the Bible,” he said.

Singer Aiza Seguerra, who recently married her actress-girlfriend, called on Filipino voters to boycott Pacquiao, who is also preparing for his last boxing fight in April, calling him an “ignorant, bigoted hypocrite”.

“You might have done our country proud but with your statement, you just showed the whole country why we shouldn’t vote for you,” Seguerra said in a post on Instagram.

source: interaksyon.com

Ai Ai And Vice Ganda Bury The Hatchet

MANILA, Philippines - Comedians Ai Ai delas Alas and Vice Ganda have let bygones be bygones, smoking the proverbial peace pipe during the birthday celebration of ABS-CBN boss Cory Vidanes on May 15 in a bar in Makati.

Ai Ai and Vice were caught on cam together during the party, as shown in the videos aired on “TV Patrol” on May 16.

“Tita Cory I love you. Alam mong mahal kita,” came Ai Ai’s message for the birthday celebrator that evening.

In a report posted by PEP the same day, Ai Ai was asked how her reconciliation with the popular stand-up comedian happened.

Not wanting to divulge details, Ai Ai said, “Ay, ewan! Basta lang…bati na lang kami.”

Last January, Vice Ganda admitted there was a rift between him and Ai Ai, as reported in newspapers. The snubbing incident, which happened inside a hotel during the Christmas season, was apparently true.

“Totoo pong nangyari 'yon na hindi po kami nagpansinan ni Ms. Ai Ai sa isang lugar. ‘Di kami nagpansinan, ‘di ko siya pinansin, ‘di niya ako pinansin at walang pansinang naganap kasi mayroon po kaming pinagdadaanan," Vice Ganda revealed on “The Buzz.”

He hoped then that the issue between them would be resolved.

"Mayroon po kaming isyu na kinakailangang ma-resolba at nawa'y maresolba sa takdang panahon,” he said, adding that nobody has the right to pass judgment on them as “kami lang ni Ms. Ai Ai ang nakakaalam doon."

Meanwhile, actors Richard Gomez and Joey Marquez recalled their early beginning as ABS-CBN talents during the party of Ms. Vidanes.

Richard vividly remembers, “My first TV guesting [in a Kapamilya TV show] si tita Cory ‘yung P.A. (production assistant) namin noon.” Richard also added, “Through the years tita Cory has been very nice to me since so she’s very special.”

Joey, who shared with Richard stellar credits in the sitcom “Palibhasa Lalaki,” recalls, “‘Yung samahan namin sa “Palibhasa” [ay] para kaming naglalaro [lang] at magkakaibigan lahat.”

Among the ABS-CBN executive’s well wishers were Vice Ganda, Iza Calzado, Vina Morales, Gina Pareno, Randy Santiago, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Christian Bautista, Rayver Cruz, Cristine Reyes, and Ai Ai delas Alas who came with boyfriend Jed Alvin Salang.

"Tita Cory, sana mas marami pang blessing dumating sa buhay niyo, and ingat po kayo palagi, maraming salamat po sa inyo," Rayver said.

"Thank you for being such a nice boss to us," Cristine said.

Coney Reyes, who starred in her own drama series on ABS-CBN, gave her message: “[My wish for her is] to change for the better. She’s so sweet. I just pray that she will have more strength, good health, so much peace, so much love, so much joy and the wisdom to carry all on what God has purposed her to do in her life.”

source: mb.com.ph