MANILA—The Ombudsman Graftbusters pulled off an emphatic 80–64 victory against the PhilHealth Health Insurers during the opening showdown of the UNTV Cup Executive Face Off 2026 triple-header on Wednesday, October 7, at the Paco Arena.

The decisive win served as a strong rebound for Ombudsman, allowing them to bounce back into contention while handing PhilHealth a setback in the ongoing elimination round.

Leading the charge for the Graftbusters was Best Players of the Game Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano IV and Attorney Hyderabad Casar.

Assistant Ombudsman Clavano puts up a stat sheet-stuffing performance of 19 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals.

He was reinforced inside by Attorney Hyderabad Casar, who registered a commanding double-double performance with 22 points and 15 rebounds to anchor Ombudsman's frontcourt dominance throughout the contest.

Following the matchup, Clavano stressed the team's burning desire to bounce back after a tough drop in their previous outing.

“Syempre gusto namin bumawi from the last games, we just came from a lost kaya importante din yung game na’to para patas 2-2 na kami,” Clavano stated when reflecting on their crucial victory in the post-game interview.

Clavano further emphasized the necessity of composure and maintaining command of the game's rhythm moving forward in the tournament.

“I think we have to play it in our own pace, kailangan ilaro namin yung laro talaga namin hindi kami pwede magpadala sa ibang team kung ano yung style nila, hindi dapat kami magpapadala do’n. I guess confidence in our own game,” Clavano added.

Meanwhile, echoing the team-first mindset required to sustain their winning momentum, Casar highlighted the collective effort that sealed their second victory of the season.

“We just have to play the roles that we are given by the coach. Anyway, basketball is laro yan ng 5 players sa court. So, kailangan talaga ng teamwork,” Casar shared on the key to their overall performance.

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