International boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao, who is also serving as a senator in the Philippines used Bible verses against the Anti-Discrimination Act, which aims to stop and penalize discrimination. Senate Bill No. 1271 touches the issue of gender equality and other sensitive LGBT issues in Pacquiao's homeland, including cross-dressing. For the fighter turned politician, the bill is unacceptable since God only made a man and a woman, according to the Bible.

Manny Pacquiao and his Homophobic Slurs

Just last year, Pacquiao said homosexuals are worse than animals. Now, the boxer fears that the Bill that would penalize discrimination based on gender equality would protect shady people who use cross-dressing to commit crime, Inquirer reported. He even used Bible verses to support proposed laws that would bring back death penalty to the Philippines.

There are people who argue that Pacquiao is too religious to be in the senate. Some even go too far calling him a fundamentalist. However, the highly religious characteristic of the Philippine society makes it impossible to ban religion from the country's legislative branch, Rappler reported.

Manny Pacquiao: All the Latest

Pacquiao went toe-to-toe with fellow Philippine senator Riza Hontiveros, who was defending the Anti-Discrimination Act. Both the senators exchange blow-by-blow arguments that came straight from the scriptures. Hontiveros argued that the Bible may have said that God only created man and woman, but the Lord didn't say anything about how men and women should dress.

The lady senator even pointed out that the Bible talks about being open to neighbors no matter what their nature is. Using a Bible quote from the book of James, the lady senator questioned Pacquiao asking him "who are you to judge?" Hontiveros is adamant on her stand to protect people against discrimination, especially those who belong to the LGBT community.

Pacquiao even raised the case of Jennifer Laude, the transgender who was killed back in 2014 after a US Marine found out that Laude was a man. Hontiveros rebutted saying that they shouldn't resort to victim-blaming, since it was US Marine Lande Cpl. Joseph Pemberton who committed the crime of murder against the transgender.

Tags Lgbt, Philippines