MANILA, Philippines—Fr. Robert Reyes, a Filipino Catholic priest on missionary work in Hong Kong, Tuesday chided his fellow prelates for focusing on reproductive health, population and sex issues, accusing them of having “selective morality.”

He said the country is facing “more urgent” problems: The sinking of MV Princess of the Stars, extra-judicial killings and corruption.

Reyes said the clergy were making a disservice to the country by focusing their energies on a subject that would spur only endless debates.

“But you know us priests, we like sex,” the so-called "running priest" wryly said in a telephone interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

“I will not argue with the bishops on their insistence on canon law but I will caution them about the trap of “selective morality” which is strongly biased for individualistic morality,” he said in a statement.

The priest also hit proposals to deny communion to lawmakers perceived to be pro-abortion. He said it was a futile exercise as it would not change the country’s situation or the politicians’ minds.

“Poverty will still be there,” he said.