Sports commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz believes Manny Pacquiao will weather the firestorm he himself created because "Filipinos are very forgiving."

Pacquiao is currently under fire for saying people in same-sex relationships are "worse than animals". The boxing champion, who is running for senator in the May elections, has apologized for his mistake but maintained that he still opposes same sex marriages.

“His mistake is the mistake of indiscretion... he should have bit a little more circumspect in saying what he says,” Nathanielsz said on Thursday’s episode of The Score.

The sports analyst, who has followed Pacquiao’s career through the years, said the fighting congressman did the right thing after committing the blunder: apologize.

He admitted, however, that the furor simply won’t end there.

“He apologized and that's all he could do. Unless they want him to hang himself. He apologized, what more can a man do?” said Nathanielsz. “He showed the guts to stand by his position, not like most other politicians who don't have the courage to stand by their convictions. He did and I salute him for that.”

(Pacquiao draws flak for 'masahol pa sa hayop' comment)

Nathanielsz said Filipinos will eventually learn to forgive Pacquiao because the Philippines has a forgiving culture.

“May utang ng loob ang mga Pilipino. The Filipinos are very forgiving,” he said.

“They know Pacquiao brought so much pride and joy to Filipinos, he helped this country redeem its position internationally at a time we are almost down and out. He brought us back into recognition internationally, both with his exploits in the ring and his performance outside the ring, because he's a decent good human being.”

Pacquiao’s boxing coach Freddie Roach shared the analyst’s sentiments.

In an interview with Philboxing’s Eddie Alinea, Roach said his prized ward is entitled to his own beliefs.

"Manny is a Filipino, a citizen of the biggest Christian country in the world. He's the only man on earth to have won world championships in eight divisions and as such is adored and respected by the entire world. As a government leader, he's bound to make a stand on pressing issues," Roach said.

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