MANILA - The Philippine National Police recognizes that tattoos are a form of self-expression, but policemen should still follow the rules and regulations of the police service, the spokesperson of the PNP said on Wednesday.

“Admittedly, ito ay part ng self expression, freedom of expression ng individual kasama na diyan ang mga police natin. But like any other constitutional freedom this is not absolute," said PNP spokesperson Police Col. Jean Fajardo.

Before becoming policemen, PNP applicants already knew that tattoos are not allowed, Fajardo said.

“So bago kami pumasok sa serbisyo ay alam natin na bawal magka-tattoo. It so happens na during our service ay walang clear policy pagdating sa pagbe-bear ng tattoo, ay kailangan nating i-regulate dahil nakaka-receive ng mga information na may mga tattoo na offensive na nakikita sa mga kapulisan."

(Before we entered the service, we already knew that tattoos are not allowed. It just so happens that during our service, there was no clear policy on bearing tattoos. We need to regulate this because we receive information that some policemen's exposed tattoos are offensive.)

Fajardo insisted that the PNP was not discriminating against members of the police force when they issued the memorandum circular regulating tattoos.

Fajardo said the PNP leadership studied the issuance of this circular and believes that this is within the authority of the PNP as a government institution.

The PNP is also studying how policemen's tattoos can be erased and the health implications of this procedure.

“This might have a health concern so hindi pa naman ito kaagad-agad natin i-implement at pag-aaralan po in terms sa posibleng pag-erase ng mga visible tattoos,” Fajardo said.

(This might have a health concern so we are not immediately implementing this, and we are still studying erasing visible tattoos.)