Opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday called on the public to stop paying taxes until the House of Representatives abandons its Constituent assembly (Con-ass) plans and President Arroyo shows she is giving up political power next year.

This was the first call for civil disobedience since protests erupted over the approval of House Resolution 1109 last June 2. 

HR 1109 calls for the convening of a constituent assembly that will propose and approve amendments to the 1987 Constitution even without the participation of the Senate.

Lacson called it a "tax revolt" and likened it to actions in the United States earlier this year to protest government spending on less essential programs.

Lacson said businessmen may hold off paying their corporate dues until after the filing of certificates of candidacy in November, to see if there's truth to speculations the President might run for representative of Pampanga.

Aside from being a protest move, Lacson said a tax revolt would ensure that public funds would not be used by the administration for its political schemes.

Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, said Con-ass proponents should just wait until after the May 2010 elections.

He also dismissed talk some senators have been convinced to participate in the House-only Con-ass, saying, "matindi ang samahan ng Senado na hindi kami papayag na mag Con-ass before 2010 elections."

Senator Manuel 'Mar' Roxas agrees with the Supreme Court that it's not yet time for legal action against House Resolution 1109.

But Roxas said, if and when the matter becomes justiciable, the Senate would be ready to fight it.