Abstract: Secularization has been a contested sociological concept. Originally understood as a historical and social process that would consequently push religions to the peripheries of society in the modern world, it has been questioned in terms of factual validity and theoretical soundness. Some sociologists would not make a distinction between secularization as the process of functional differentiation from secularization as a theory or (perhaps) an ideology. Coming from the contention that secularization, specifically in the Philippines, is not consistently applied, this paper looks into cases, the contribution of the State and its political agencies and political agents to the inconsistent observance of secular principles. The common contention is that religions, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, always meddle in the political affairs of the state. This paper, however, looks at a different angle, that is, a commonly neglected social reality: The state exploits religion or its political agents by taking advantage of the dominance and power of religious groups, especially if by doing so it would gain favor or political leverage.