MANILA - Vice Ganda, the country's most popular gay comedian, has welcomed the apology of eight-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who described same-sex marriage as "worse than animals."

On his Twitter account Tuesday evening, the "It's Showtime" host told his more than 6.7 million followers: "Apology accepted. But I will still not vote for him. Manny for boxing not for Senate."

He earlier called Pacquiao, who is running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance, a "false prophet". He chastised the boxer, whose marriage with wife Jinkee nearly ended over his alleged affair with a starlet.

"Ang pagpatol sa parehong kasarian ay masahol pa sa hayup? Eh ang pakikiapid habang ika'y may asawa anung kababuyan ito? Pakisagot Manny!" Vice Ganda asked.

He added: "Patawarin nyo ko pero sa Diyos lang ako magpapahusga. Hindi sa boksingerong tumatakbo sa Senado na apat na beses lang pumasok sa Kongreso."

Pacquiao has since apologized for his controversial remarks, wherein he claimed that no animal would engage in a same-sex relationship.

(READ: Lea Salonga hits Pacquiao's false claim)

"Ako po ay humihingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng mga nasaktan dahil sa aking pagkumpara ng tao sa hayop. 'Yun po ay kamalian ko at ako po ay humihingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng nasaktan," he said.

But the boxer, who figured in a similar controversy back in 2012, maintained his stand against same-sex marriage.

"Hindi po nagbabago ang aking desisyon na against po ako sa same-sex marriage at iyan po ang paniniwala ko," he explained. "Ang pagkakamali ko lang po ay ikinumpara ko ang tao sa hayop."

"I am humbling myself before you and before God."

(FULL STORY: Pacquiao apologizes for anti-LGBT remark)