Enrile to Pacquiao’s LGBT critics: Better go to Mars

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile has choice words for those criticizing Manny Pacquiao for his anti-gay remarks comparing advocates of same-sex marriage to animals.

"They better go to Mars," Enrile told reporters laughing.

Pacquiao and Enrile both support the presidential candidacy of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Pacquiao earlier said that those engaged in same-sex relationships were worse than animals. The boxer and senatorial candidate has since apologized for the slur.

Enrile said he would not make a statement as strong as Pacquiao’s but added that a same-sex union was unnatural.

“I can never support it.… Unnatural yun eh. Sa akin, I will not make it that strong but that is unnatural,” Enrile said.

He said Pacquiao was “showing a better leadership than most people.”

On Pacquiao’s apology, Enrile said Pacquiao should not fear a backlash as he would still win the elections amid the controversy.

“Nakita ko galaw ng tao, panalo yan, maski anong batikos mo sa kaniya. Panalo yan. Ang kanya, masa ng Pilipinas. Yan ang nakakarami,” said the 92-year-old senator.

Told that he could be the subject of the ire of LGBT community for telling them to go to another planet, the Senate minority leader said he does not fear them.

“E anong pakialam ko sa kanila kung babanatan ako. Sasabihin ko sa kanila, sira nga ulo ninyo. Anong ginagawa ninyo? Hindi naman kayo Diyos,” he said.

'Travel back to Jurassic era'

As expected, LGBT rights advocates found Enrile's remarks objectionable.

"No, we're staying where we are because we are Filipinos, and as LGBT Filipinos we have every right to demand for equality from our politicians," Jonas Bagas, an LGBT and HIV awareness activist, told GMA News Online when sought for comment.

Bagas, the executive director of the gay rights group TLF Share, said that Enrile and Pacquiao should take a trip of their own to a time and place where their opinions would be found appropriate.

"It is perhaps Senator Enrile who should do a little bit of time travelling and go back to the Jurassic era, along with Manny Pacquiao, because that's where their mindsets belong," Bagas said.

Bagas thanked both politicians for "awakening a collective demand for basic decency from our politicians" which extends beyond their opinion on same-sex marriage.

"While not all Filipinos are in favor of same-sex marriage, the outrage that Manny Pacquiao has provoked shows that Filipinos are tired of politicians who, in the name of the bible or their privileged status, are subjecting the marginalised like LGBTs to further dehumanisation," Bagas said.

"We are tired of bigoted politicians like Enrile and Pacquiao, and we'll make sure that they hear that message this May elections," he added. -NB, GMA News