Paolo Duterte’s lawyer: Accepted na ngayon ang tattoo

The lawyer of Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte on Friday said having a tattoo these days is not proof that a person is a member of a criminal syndicate such as the triad.

"Accepted na ngayon ang tattoo," said lawyer Rainier Madrid in an interview on News To Go. "Before, during my time, ang may tattoo, ex-convict. Ngayon, pag may tattoo, sosyal ka."

At a hearing in the Senate on Thursday, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, citing information from a foreign source, accused Paolo of being a member of the triad, a Chinese organized crime group.

Trillanes, an opposition senator, even went as far as asking Paolo, whom he linked to smuggling activities, to show the tattoo—allegedly the mark of a triad member—on his back. Paolo refused to grant the request.

Madrid said his client did the right thing by not giving in to Trillanes' request.

"Bakit ka maghuhubad sa Senado? Ang Senado ba masahehan? Massage parlor ba 'yun? Irespeto naman natin 'yung katawan natin," he said.

Madrid also dared Trillanes to expose the source of his information, adding that he should have validated it first before coming up with an accusation.

"I-validate niya muna, hindi 'yung umuupak na siya na shooting from the hip," he said.

"Kung nagpapauto siya dun sa sinasabi niyang intel, hindi kami uto-uto. Kung gusto niya, magprisenta siya ng ebidensya," Madrid added.

He reiterated that Trillanes' accusations were merely "black propaganda" against the Duterte family.  —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News