Catholic Church Calls for Tax Boycott Over RH Bill

The Philippine Catholic Church leaders has called on their members to boycott tax payment as a form of protest against the RH Bill.

The Citizens Alliance for the Protection of Human Life has threatened to mount civil disobedience by not paying their taxes if the reproductive health bill is enacted into law.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said that "protesters going on civil disobedience by refusing to pay taxes must be prepared to end up in the slammer."

President Aquino warned this was seditious. Catholic bishops said they would rather risk jail time than drop their opposition to the measure.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it that the church doesn't pay any taxes? I don't know if priests pay taxes, but if they don't, how can they call on their followers to break the law and risk going to jail when they in turn risk nothing? That's quite unfair isn't it?

I understand the Catholic Church's need to defend their stance on the RH Bill, but their arguments and threats are bordering on ridiculous.

I thought there should be a separation of the church and the state?

If the church insist on having a say in how Philippine law is crafted, perhaps they should start paying their fair share of taxes. Isn't it unfair for everyone else that one of the biggest voice that shape Philippine politics pay no tax? Meanwhile, every Juan and Maria who pay taxes have no voice in the shaping of their lives?