(Photo by Ali Vicoy / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP), and the Philippine E-cigarette Industry Association (PECIA) issued the joint statement after two members of the House of Representatives exposed the tricky ploy used by some foreign private organizations which they described as a violation of the Constitution and an attack on Philippine sovereignty. Acting on a resolution filed by Deputy Speaker Deogracias Victor Savellano to probe the Food and Drug Administrations’ questionable acceptance of funds from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), a foreign anti-tobacco organization, Congress held a legislative inquiry to investigate whether the funds received by the agency had led to specific and pre-defined policies on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs).