Eight-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has drawn severe criticism in the Philippines for saying homosexual couples are “worse than animals”, AFP reported. In an interview with a local television broadcaster earlier this week, he said, “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.”

The 37-year-old is planning to contest the elections in Philippines in May, for which he is campaigning as a conservative Catholic politician. Gay marriage is not permitted in the country as the Catholic Church strongly opposes it. As much as 80% of the population in Philippines subscribes to the faith. While gay marriages are officiated at small churches in the country, they are not recognised by the church or the state.

The most popular gay comedian of the country, Vice Ganda, came down heavily on Pacquiao on Twitter. “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 actor-girlfriend, called the boxer an “ignorant, bigoted hypocrite” and urged voters to boycott Pacquiao in the upcoming elections.