The “no tattoo” rule for potential recruits of the military and police is not only for “good grooming” but also for “life-saving,” a Philippine National Police (PNP) official said Tuesday as the national police reiterates its stance against the lifting of the tattoo ban on recruits.
Police Chief Superintendent Elpidio Gabriel, Jr., executive director of the Directorate for Police Community Relations (DPCR), argued that inked people cannot be blood donors.
“Ang disadvantages kasi dun sa mga may tattoo, by medical advice hindi na sila pwedeng mag-donate ng blood so yung mga elements namin na napalaban syempre pagka kailangan nila ng dugo ang una naming hihingian mga elements din namin,” Gabriel explained.
“The same way, meron yung mga civilian na pag kailangan nila ng dugo tumatakbo sa SAF (Special Action Force), tumatakbo sa mga regional public safety battalions, kaya syempre yung mga may tattoo, hindi makapag-donate lalo na pag rare yung blood type tapos yung only available sana na pwede magbigay merong tattoo, wala na hindi na sya makukunan,” he added.
But according to the Philippine Red Cross website, a person who has a tattoo can donate blood, “as long as the tattooing procedure was done aseptically (in a sterile manner), he/she may donate blood one year after the procedure.”
This is the same with ear piercing, acupuncture, and other procedures involving needles, it added.
Following Gabriel’s explanation, Dela Rosa said in jest: “Tanggalin na natin yung rason na binigay ko, yung good grooming, life-saving nalang tayo, mas mabigat yung rason na yun.”
On Monday, the PNP chief said he is against tattooed police recruits as he believes that uniformed men with body markings “look like criminals or ex-convicts.”
“Pasensya na sa mga may tattoo ha, alam ko you will invoke your right to express your artistic desires. Sa inyo art, sa amin taboo. Prangkahan tayo… dahil pangit, parang criminal naman tignan ‘di ba, parang sa kulungan puro may tattoo. Parang ex-convict ang pulis ‘pag naka-uniporme na maraming tattoo,” Dela Rosa said in a press briefing.
READ: Tattoo could make cops ‘look like criminals or ex-convicts’ – Bato
Even Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has opposed the proposed lifting of the tattoo ban among military and police recruits.
READ: DND, PNP reject lifting of tattoo ban
Davao City 1st District Rep. Karlo Nograles proposed the idea, as he urged the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to lift some of their “archaic” requirements for its recruits, including the “no tattoo” rule and the minimum height requirement. /muf