Manny Pacquiao, the former world champion boxer and now Philippines senator, today used the Bible to justify his call for the reinstatement of the death penalty.

Pacquiao, who is an evangelical Christian, in his first privilege speech as senator said that capital punishment "is lawful, moral and sanctioned governmental action".

"When the government punishes, it's not an individual act. That's approved by God. That's what the Bible says," he said. "Having read the Bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not just a god of mercy but he is also a god of justice. So, on the issue of death penalty I could not help but consult the Bible".

According to the Philippine Star, Pacquiao went on to cite verses from Scripture that appear to justify the deaths of indivuals who have killed other people.

He also said that the drug problem in the Philippines is getting "worse every day", and argued that imposing the death penalty would help to address it.

"We must speak to these criminal minds in the only language they understand. They must understand that our government will put a stop to impunity. They have profited from thousands upon thousands of Filipino youths. It must stop now," he said.

Pacquaio is a political ally of new President Rodrigo Duterte, who has established a violent crackdown on drug-related crime since his instatement in June.

On Saturday, Duterte pledged to uphold his "shoot-to-kill" order against drug dealers "until the last day of my term, if I'm still alive by then".

"I don't care about human rights, believe me," he added.

Local press estimate that around 800 people have been killed since Duterte's election in May.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, issued a statement on Sunday condemning the increase in killings.

"Is not humanity going down to the dregs when bloodthirsty humans encourage the killers and ask for more blood?" he asked, warning that the country was becoming a "killing fields nation".

"From a generation of drug addicts, shall we become a generation of street murderers? Can the do-it-yourself justice system assure us of a safer and better future?" the archbishop added.

Pacquiao has previously caused controversy for his comments about homosexuality. In February, he said that gay couples are "worse than animals" and was consequently dropped by sponsor Nike.