GM EUGENE TORRE DEFENDS MANNY
By Tonton Alcos-Antogop
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 21 Feb 2016
GENERAL SANTOS CITY- Known as Asia's first chess Grandmaster, GM Eugene Torre, is in agreement with his Filipino compatriot, boxing's only eight-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, on the issue of same sex marriage.
Pacquiao, who is also running for a Philippine senate seat on May 16, earlier got the ire of the Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LBGT) community when he aired his strong opposition on the same sex union, which even cost him the sponsorship from Nike.
His promoter for his upcoming fight with Timothy Bradley on April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Bob Arum, agreed on the Nike pull-out describing Pacquiao's statement as "reprehensible."
According to Torre he was not surprised by what Pacquiao has said because the Filipino boxing icon has been since publicly known to have been converted as born-again Christian.
Before cementing his name in the annals of boxing, Pacquiao was raised as a Catholic till he tacitly shown his switch in religion.
"I support what Cong. Manny Pacquiao has said, he expressed what he believed and felt. It was expected of him being a man of the bible, a bible practitioner, it would be far too awkward on his part if he reads the bible then he would say the opposite," Torre told this writer in a mix of English and Filipino on the sidelines of the Two million (Php2,000, 000) Bobby Pacquiao Random Chess Festival 2016 at the SM Gensan Trade Hall here where he is the tournament director.
Torre who himself has been playing chess with the Sarangani lawmaker on some occasions said, like the Pac-man, he too, is a born again Christian.
He echoed Pacquiao's basis on what is written in the bible that homosexuality is forbidden and thus a sin.
"I am also a Christian so whatever the Bible has stated, I am for it, whatever Jesus Christ has taught and said, homosexuality is never encourage."
The controversy sparked when Pacquiao was quoted as saying that those who will engaged in homosexual activities "are worse than animals."
He has since asked an apology, clarifying, what he meant was in opposing same-sex marriage, as he also respects the LGBT's.
Torre echoed Pacquiao's stance, saying homosexuals as fellow human beings, should be understood.
"I agree though that these kind of people should be treated with understanding, maybe they have experienced something, they have something in their body that they only know" Torre explained.
The random chess tourney bankrolled by Manny's younger brother, Bobby, himself, a former professional boxer, is among the line-up of activities of this city's annual "Kalilangan Festival" which will run from Feb. 22-27.
The tournament drew world rated chess players from around the country, among them GM Rogelio Antonio (Novelty Chess Club-Quezon City), GM Jayson Gonzales (Bobby Pacquiao-Team C), GM Richard Bitoon (BATT Team) and GM Darwin Laylo (Elegant Homes, Pampanga), among others.
The champion team of the Swiss-system chess tournament will take home the Php500,000 top prize while the individual champions (rapid) wins Php60, 000, for blitz, the champion will took Php20,000.
Gensan City Mayor Ronnel Rivera graced the opening ceremonies of the weeklong tourney sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).
Photo (L-R): GM Darwin Laylo, GM Richard Bitoon, GM Jayson Gonzales, GM Eugene Torre and Team Pacquiao's Aries Sacayanan, the assistant tournament organizer of the on-going Bobby Pacquiao Rapid Chess Festival 2016 in SM Gensan Trade Hall (Photo by Anter Alcos).
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