MANILA — The lifting of the tattoo ban for police officers would be a disadvantage to the Philippine National Police (PNP), a police official said Tuesday.
“What makes it disadvantageous is that those who have tattoos, by medical advice, cannot anymore donate blood. When we need blood for our elements who are wounded in battle, we turn to our other elements for blood donation,” Chief Supt. Elpidio Gabriel Jr., the executive officer of the PNP Directorate for Police Community Relations, explained.
Gabriel further said that some civilians who need blood also ask donors from the Special Action Force, and the Regional Public Safety Battalion.
“Of course, those who have tattoos cannot donate blood. What if there is a need for a rare blood type and the only person who could donate has tattoos? Then, we cannot get blood from him/her,” he added.
The Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) accepts blood from donors with tattoos, so long as the tattooing procedure was done in a sterile manner, and that the donor would do it one year after the procedure. The same rule applies with ear piercing, acupuncture, and other procedures involving needles.
PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa earlier opposed calls to allow policemen to sport tattoos on parts of their body that are exposed when they are in uniform.
This reflects poorly on the image of police officers, he said, adding that policemen must also be fresh-faced and clean-shaven at all times. (Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
