Philippine Church Defends Manny Pacquiao For Calling Gays 'Worse Than Animals'

A senatorial candidate in the Philippines has urged the country's election commission to halt the boxing match between Manny Pacquiao - running for a seat in the Philippines senate in the upcoming elections in May - and American Timothy Bradley, citing a possibility of election laws being flouted, reports said.

"We want to know if this violates the equal time rule because in our view, this will give overwhelmingly great hours to Pacquiao and put us at a tremendous disadvantage", Bello told AFP.

The Bible-quoting Pacquiao has been embroiled in controversy for saying recently that people in same-sex relations are "worse than animals".

Macalintal said such move was premature because Bello was merely speculating that Pacquiao would exceed the authorized limit in print and broadcast ads.

He said it was "unfair" to condemn Pacquiao for echoing what he reads in the Bible when he was asked about same-sex marriage.

Nike, Pacquiao's major global sponsor, cancelled its endorsement deal with the boxer, describing his comments as "abhorrent". But he has stood pat on his opposition to same-sex marriage.

"This is not a petition to disqualify Manny Pacquiao".

Bello is seeking a clarification from the Comelec on how the election laws apply to Pacquiao, specifically whether the media mileage of the match with Bradley would constitute an election offense.

"He has all the rights to exercise his boxing profession after the elections, but to schedule his boxing bout during the campaign period and close to the elections is obviously taking advantage of his personality and his profession, extending undue benefit to his candidacy", the petition said.

"The candidate/product endorser not only earns an income for the use of his name, picture or face and consequently, his popularity, it also gives the candidate an added propaganda material", he said.

It was not clear when the Commission on Elections would decide on the issue.

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