MANILA - House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday invited scrutiny of the Catholic Church's compliance with tax laws, saying they should pay duties for their business dealings.

Alvarez said the Church and other religious groups should be taxed for running schools and renting out property because these fall outside "non-stock, non-profit" activities.

"They are claiming exemptions from their income, educational income, pero nainiwala ba tayo doon? (Do we believe that?)." Alvarez said during a Congressional hearing on President Rodrigo Duterte's tax reform proposal.

"Itong mga schools na ito, they don't cater to the poor, palaging nag-iincrease ng tuition fee," he added.

(These schools, they don't cater to the poor. They are constantly increasing tuition.)

The Catholic Church, which helps run some of the country's biggest and most expensive schools and universities, is a vocal critic of Duterte's war on drugs.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia agreed with Alvarez, saying authorities should look into the commercial income of Church organizations.

"(The) Catholic Church owns a lot of lands that are earning revenue. Those things need looking into. The tax intake one could get there would be much bigger than those in schools," Pernia said.