Lawmaker wants no-tattoo rule in AFP, PNP scrapped

MANILA, Philippines — The “no-tattoo rule” among recruits of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police should be done away with since this is an “archaic” requirement, a senior lawmaker said yesterday. 

“Like the nonsensical minimum height requirement for both the military and police service, the no-tattoo rule must be done away with for the simple reason that it is not a good measure of one’s capabilities or guts on the battlefield,” Rep. Karlo Nograles said. 

“For our military and police organizations to bar the entry of capable and well-meaning Filipinos in their ranks on the basis of tattoos is quite archaic, if only because tattoos are no longer taboo in this day and age. Thus, we call for the removal of this ban,” he added. 

The congressman representing Davao City, who also sits as chairman of the House committee on appropriations, lamented that even the Philippine Coast Guard bans such since the markings are deemed “physical defects that demerit or disqualify their application.” 

“I know a lot of people who have been declined application into the service on the basis of them having tattoos. They said it felt unfair to be rejected and I can’t help but agree with them,” Nograles said.  

Filipino soldiers’ US counterparts, for instance, have shown tattoos all over their body.  

Nograles insisted it’s wrong to automatically associate or judge tattooed individuals as being criminals, rebels, or undesirables. He said what’s important is for the applicant to be physically fit, with good moral character and no criminal record.

“If the applicant meets these requirements, then he or she should not be denied the right to serve the country,” he stressed.

If anything, Nograles noted that Philippine history is replete with instances of bravery by tattooed Filipino warriors in the face of foreign conquerors. 

This is because tattoos have been a part of the country’s rich culture even before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century.

“The Spanish conquistadores branded these Filipino warriors as pintados because of their ornate and at times intimidating body markings. Ultimately, the foreigners admired these painted people for their fierceness and courage,” he pointed out.

Nograles reckoned that this might also be the best time for Filipinos to join either the military or police, thanks in large part to the policy changes and projects that the Duterte administration implemented or has in the pipeline for uniformed personnel.