Meet the ‘Duterte tattoo family’

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  — President Duterte is challenging Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to decode the tattoos on his body and those on his children.

The Dutertes are no strangers to tattoos. Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and sons Paolo and Sebastian are all like their father – they have tattoos on different parts of their bodies inked at different times and for different reasons.

The President stressed that perhaps Trillanes should see if these were proof that they belong to the so-called Chinese triad, a organized crime syndicate engaged in international smuggling and illegal drug trade.

Paolo refused to give in to Trillanes’ demand for him to show off the tattoo on his back, which the senator claimed is linked to the triad during the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing last Thursday.

But when asked by the press after the hearing, Trillanes admitted that he does not know what a triad tattoo looks like and that it can be googled on the internet.

The senator said that whatever image would be taken from the tattoo on Paolo’s back would be sent to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency to be decoded.

Instead, during the press briefing last Saturday at the Army’s 4th Infantry Division at Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City, the President showed off a tattoo of a flower on his upper right arm.

“It’s a rose. Dito (points to his tattoo) ’yung number ko ng (my number of the) Guardians, I don’t know what year is that. Guardians Brotherhood. Ito ’yan, o (Here it is),” the President told reporters.

“Trillanes, tignan mo (look at this). Tattoo. P*** (B****). Ako? Presidente – ako anak ng Presidente ng Pilipinas, bigyan mo ng (Me? President – I am the son of the President of the Philippines, you’ll give a) tattoo to recognize me? B*** s***,” the Duterte said.

He likewise said that Paolo was right when he refused to give in to Trillanes for him to show the tattoo during the hearing.

“Dapat ninyo makita ang tattoo ni Inday. Nakita ninyo, nasa likod ni Inday? O, hintayin ninyo mag-ano. Araw. Buong... baka magalit ‘yun pero... Baste, buong katawan. Kita mo ang kamay ni Baste, puro tattoo? Ako (You should see the tattoo of Inday Sara. Did you, it’s on her back? Or you want to wait for. The day. Entire… he might get mad, but… Baste, entire body. Did you see Baste’s hand, mostly tattoo? I),” the President added.

Sara posted on social media photos of her and her two brothers with their backs to camera showing similar tattoos behind their legs.

Sebastian’s tattoos, on the other hand, can also be seen on his upper body, as he showed off a half-naked body filled with a number of tattoos of various figures.

The President lamented how Trillanes has cheapened the Senate by making it a venue for him to look for Paolo’s tattoo on his back during the hearing.

The Chief Executive also said that Paolo and Sen. Gregorio Honasan – even he himself – have the same tattoo in their hands, which symbolize the Guardian Brotherhood.

“Tingnan mo ’yung kay Greg Honasan… Sabihin ko nga…kay Greg. ‘P*** ’yan, ipa-decode mo ’yan mga pinagdo-drawing mo.’ Marami ’yan dito. Tingnan mo ‘yung kamay niya (Look at the one on Greg Honasan. I’ll tell Greg, ‘That b****, have it decoded, those drawings. He has a lot of those. Look at his hand),” the President added, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Duterte stressed that Trillanes has been abusing the Senate by presenting hearsay during committee hearings and even plenary sessions.