By JEN BAYLON

The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is ready to comply with the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) mandate on the removal of tattoos among police personnel.

BCPO spokesperson, Lt. Colonel Ronnie Brillo said they are prepared to enforce PNP’s Memorandum Circular 2024-023, issued on March 19, which regulates the bearing and sporting of tattoos among uniformed and non-uniformed police personnel, once the directive reaches their office.

“Subong wala pa gid naton mabaton ang memorandum halin sa higher unit headquarters, nga ipadala diri sa aton sa lower unit,” Brillo told Watchmen Daily Journal yesterday.

He said they had no choice but to implement the order within their police stations in the city.

“Kung mag-implement kita, kinahanglan ma-disseminate gid importante sa personnel, nga kung sin-o ang may mga tattoo, i-erase gid nila,” Brillo said.

“For those personnel nga indi magpati ukon indi mag-follow sang directives, pwede sila makasuhan sang administrative case,” he added.

Under the memorandum circular, police officers with visible tattoos will be given three months to remove them, PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo earlier said.

Those who fail to do so may be subjected to investigation.

Prohibited tattoos include extremist, ethnically or religiously-related, indecent, racist, sexist, and unauthorized ones.

However, aesthetic tattoos, such as those on eyebrows, lips and eyelids, will be allowed.

Police officers with existing tattoos are required to submit an affidavit which declares that their tattoos are not visible.

“For some, sinasabing creative art into expression of oneself, belief sa artistic side po nila, but in every right, there are boundaries,” Fajardo said during a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City earlier this week.

“Nasa loob tayo ng uniformed service, kasi pangit na naka-uniform ang pulis natin na tadtad ng tattoo,” she added./With reports from PNA / JB, WDJ