Pacquiao defends death penalty for drug traffickers in Philippine senate

Pacquiao also serves as a senator in the Philippines. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook

Boxer Manny Pacquiao, who also serves as a senator in the Philippines, caused controversy in his country this week with a speech in which he defends the death penalty for drug traffickers.

See too

Pacquiao makes homophobic statement on TV and leaves fans angry

After homophobic statement, Nike breaks up with Pacquiao

Pacquiao raises controversy when he posts an excerpt from the Bible that calls for the death of gays

Ronda praises Pope Francis and blasts Pacquiao for comments about gays

Pacquiao, a fervent religious man, made the statement based on a passage from the Bible amid public debate in the country about the return of capital punishment to the Philippines, which has been prohibited since 2006. President Rodrigo Duterte wants to reintroduce the punishment, the example of what happens in neighboring nations, such as Indonesia.

“From reading the Bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not only a God of mercy, but also a God of justice. God allows the death penalty to discipline people and to punish evildoers. In Exodus 21:12, the Holy Bible says: whoever harms a person who has died must also be killed. We need to talk to criminals using the only language they understand. They need to understand that our government is putting an end to impunity. They profited by using thousands and thousands of young Filipinos. This needs to stop now,” Pacquiao said.

The Filipino has caused controversy in the past by using excerpts from the Bible to condemn homosexual practice, which caused him to lose several sponsorship deals. At 37 years old, the fighter will return to the ring on November 5th, in Las Vegas (USA), when he faces Jessie Vargas.

Fatal change? Makhachev ignores warning and could end tragically at welterweight!