MANILA PHILIPPINES – The Philippine National Police (PNP) will push through the implementation of the total ban on visible tattoos among it’s members and aspiring police officers.
According to PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo the moratorium on the measure was previously lifted by PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
“On July 3, the PNP chief approved the lifting of the moratorium. That is, will implement the
guidelines, specifically the non-application of tattoos especially to those entering the PNP”, Fajardo said.
The PNP previously suspended the tattoo ban due to the request of some police officers and the PNP Health Service (HS) to review the declaration submitted by active policemen with tattoos.
For current PNP personnel who have tattoos, he explained that they are required to submit a
explanation declaring the number, location and size of their tattoos.
He added that these details will be added to their health profiles. Officials are given three months from signing their oath to remove any visible and unauthorized tattoos.
He also said that the PNP personnel are set to bear the cost of their tattoo removal because their health service does not have enough equipment to meet the procedure for removing tattoos.
Included in the ban on tattoos among PNP personnel are extremist tattoos, ethnically or religiously discriminatory and offensive tattoos, indecent tattoos, racist tattoos and sexist tattoos.
Any police officer who fails to comply with the three-month tattoo removal rule will be subjected to
investigation and may face administrative charges.
“If there are medical reasons, probably, he will be given ample time to comply but for those who would refuse without justifiable reason then it is clear it is stated in (it is clear in the) circular that they may be subjected to administrative sanctions,” Fajardo said.