Philippines’ Pacquiao slides in opinion poll after anti-gay comments (Reuters)

The popularity of Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao has declined following his anti-gay comments, but the former eight-division world champion could still win May Senate elections, an independent opinion poll showed on Friday. The Bible-quoting Pacquiao’s description of gays as “worse than animals” drew criticism last month on social media at home and abroad, and cost him an endorsement deal with Nike, the world’s largest sportswear maker. “There was a big drop in his numbers in the latest survey,” Ronald Holmes, president of Pulse Asia, which did the survey of 1,800 people, told Reuters.