If any of you still have lingering doubts about Big Tobacco's role in playing matchmaker for the upcoming Eraserheads concert on August 30, you may end up wondering no more. Despite all the leaks, tips, and rumblings we've been monitoring from local Philip Morris employees, the identity of the mysterious sponsor has remained unconfirmed. Now it appears that an exchange of letters between the head of a US-based anti-tobacco group and the CEO of Philip Morris International has finally proved to be the so-called "Smoking Gun" that links the tobacco powerhouse to the Eraserheads concert.

In an article entitled "The View from The Top of the Cigarette Industry" posted on broadcast journalist Howie Severino's blog "Sidetrip", we read about an exchange between Matthew Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and  Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and CEO of Philip Morris International.

As the letters show, Myers successfully convinced R&B superstar Alicia Keys to demand withdrawal of Philip Morris' sponsorship of her Jakarta, Indonesia concert on July 31. Keys was later cited by the group in a press release.

U.S. singing star Alicia Keys has set a positive example that should be followed by musicians and entertainers worldwide by demanding the withdrawal of tobacco industry sponsorship of her July 31 concert in Jakarta, Indonesia. We applaud Ms. Keys for taking quick action to disassociate herself from the tobacco industry and to prevent her name, image and talent from continuing to be used to market cigarettes to children.

Myers' group didn't stop there. In a letter to Philip Morris International CEO Camilleri on July 28 , he demanded that similar action be taken in the case of PM's alleged involvement in the Eraserheads reunion concert.

We have learned that the Alicia Keys concert is not an isolated incident. PMI is also involved in sponsoring or promoting an August 30 concert of the popular music group, Eraserheads, in the Philippines. Numerous Internet postings direct those seeking tickets to the concert to www.marlboro.ph, a web site of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. The online marketing of the concert has generated enormous publicity for Marlboro in the Philippines. On July 23, 2008, The Manila Times reported that the concert is being sponsored by a tobacco company, and numerous web reports have indicated that company may be Philip Morris International. Will you describe the nature of Philip Morris International’s involvement with this event, withdraw any such involvement and remove all materials associating PMI and its products with the concert?

Camilleri's response to Myers, highlighted in faxes of the letter published online by Severino clearly confirms Myers' allegations of the tobacco firm's involvement in the Eraserheads concert.

With regards to the Philippines, please be advised that the promotional event you refer to is an invitation-only event, not open to the general public. It is restricted to our trade partners and to adult smokers who can obtain an invitation by registering on our adult-only access website, where they must provide proof of age through a government issued ID. Invitations cannot be purchased and are not tranferrable. Controls will be in place at entry points to the event to ensure that only persons with invitations are allowed to enter and to verify that they are adults by double checking their government issued ID.

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Related Links:

Howie Severino's Sidetrip. The View from the top of the cigarette industry.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Pressroom. (showing full text of letters to Philip Morris)

The Philip Morris letter: