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This May 11, 2011 file photo shows Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee attending Mass at Quiapo Church. PHOTO BY JESSIE LAURETA

Pacquiao stood by his views opposing gay marriages but made it clear he never condemned homosexuals because he has friends and relatives who are gays.

“I’m not against the gay people,” Pacquiao said. “I’m not condemning them . . . I have a cousin [who is] gay. I have relatives [who are] gay. I have a lot of friends [who are] gay, so I’m not condemning gays.”

Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Francis Escudero, Panfilo Lacson and Franklin Drilon called on Corona to steer clear of technicalities when he takes the stand because they want to hear his defense on the allegations hurled against him.

Estrada and Escudero said that these technicalities could be in the form of the defendant’s “right against self-incrimination” in which he could not be forced to testify against himself and the bank secrecy laws.

The two senators said that although Corona can invoke such rights, it could be viewed by the senators as his refusal to uncover the truth and will consequently affect their judgment.

The fund, part of Aquino’s continuing initiative to improve socioeconomic conditions in the southern region, would also be used for the purchase of health equipment, according to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

“We don’t know how to thank the President for all these support to the ARMM and Sulu in particular, and I am sure that these projects will benefit mostly the poor,” Sulu Governor Sakur Tan told The Manila Times.

ATHENS: The radical leftist Syriza party that stormed to second place on an anti-austerity ticket in Greece’s recent polls now wants to push its message across Europe.

A loose coalition of leftist groups led by a 37-year-old engineer, Syriza more than tripled its ratings in the last election—which produced no clear victor—and looks poised to further boost its strength in new polls set for June 17.

Emboldened by its success as well as socialist Francois Hollande’s presidential victory in France, Syriza said that the time is ripe to reject austerity policies that have plunged Greece into a deepening five-year recession.

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) again failed to collect its target collection for the month of April this year, according to the figures obtained from the bureau.

Records obtained by The Manila Times showed that the BoC only raised P25.43 billion, or 9 percent below its P28 billion goal for the period.

This brought the agency’s total revenue collection to P94.96 billion at end-April, or P14.43 billion below its P109.36 billion goal.

Mayor Manuel Sagabarria and Gov. Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental announced that the province is ready to host the 2012 Philippine National Games (PNG) set to start on May 25.

“The city is ready to host more than 5,000 athletes and officials, who are coming in our place for the PNG. Everything is in place and I’m looking forward to our successful hosting,” said Sabarria during a press conference yesterday at the Badjao room of Century Park Hotel.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richie Garcia said that the PNG is open to all Filipino athletes including Filipino-American players who want to become members of the national training pool.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma: NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant struck for 22 points, five coming in a game-ending 9-0 run, as Oklahoma City stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 77-75 in the NBA playoffs on Wednesday.

The Thunder, unbeaten in six playoff games, seized a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series, which shifts to Los Angeles for games three and four on Friday and Saturday.

“We kept our composure,” Durant said. “Their defense was unbelievable tonight. We stuck with it and I was able to make some big shots. A win is a win in the playoffs. We’ve got to be prepared for game three.”