THE Philippine National Police (PNP) stood firm that its policy on visible tattoos is not a form of discrimination against inked individuals but a regulation to be complied by members of the police force.
PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said they respect public opinion about the matter but explained regulating police officers from sporting visible unauthorized tattoos has already been implemented since the creation of the PNP.
“However, wala pong policy kapag nakapasok ka na po sa serbisyo ay pwede na pong magpa-tatoo. So, last year po ay nagkaroon po ng technical working group at nagkaroon po ng consultation kung iri-regulate po ba iyong paglalagay po ng tattoo sa ating mga kapulisan,” she said.
“This is not, in any way, to discriminate iyon pong mga ibang tao po na mayroon pong tattoo. We will be in agreement doon sa mga nagsasabing iyong paglalagay po ng tattoo is a form of self-expression and freedom of expression,” she added.
She, however, emphasized that “it is the position of the PNP, like any other constitutional freedom, [that] this is not absolute.”
Fajardo also revealed that a consultation was held, resulting in the consensus to regulate only the so-called visible unauthorized tattoos, or those that are promoting extremism, racist, sexist, and indecent tattoos. The authorized tattoos, she said, are the so-called “aesthetic tattoos” such as those in the eye brows, eyeliner or even lips. Earlier, the PNP issued a circular on April 20, 2024, regulating police officers from having visible unauthorized tattoos. (GP)
PNP: Tattoo regulation not meant to discriminate inked persons
