A health group on Thursday urged the national government to reject donations from the tobacco industry.

Tobacco control advocate group HealthJustice argued that accepting these donations enables the tobacco industry to whitewash and evade liability over the damage their products pose to people's health.

In a statement, HealthJustice said that the tobacco industry's way of working with the government through donations "is a sneaky way to divert attention and accountability for the devastation its products caused to its consumers, families, and communities."

Former Health Secretary and HealthJustice board member Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan condemned the tobacco industry's strategy. 

"Collaborating with the government through donations masquerades their true nature as purveyors of addiction," Tan said.

"This deceptive practice seeks to portray them as responsible corporate citizens while disregarding the devastating impact of their products, which have claimed millions of lives," he added. 

HealthJustice also appealed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reconsider its opinion to align with the obligations and commitments under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

The group likewise urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to adopt and implement measures that will strengthen the country's compliance with its FCTC obligations.

The six-page legal opinion, signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, stated that the prohibition on accepting tobacco industry donations only covers public officials and employees and does not extend to the government agency in general. 

However, HealthJustice clarified that the DOJ's opinion failed to account for the intent and spirit of the FCTC when it limits the scope of the prohibition provided under the DOH-CSC Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2010-001 to individual government personnel rather than encompassing the departments they represent. 

The JMC's intent is to shield government agencies, particularly essential service providers like the Department of Social Welfare and Development, from undue influence by the tobacco industry when it bars officials and employees from accepting donations from the tobacco industry.