De Lima to Paolo Duterte: Aren’t tattoos meant to be displayed?

Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Friday dared the son of President Rodrigo Duterte and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo to show his tattoo if he really has nothing to hide.

“There’s just one easy thing to do on the part of Paolo Duterte to put closure to this lingering issue about his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. Show his back. Does he have a tattoo or not? If so, what tattoo? Simple! Is that too much to ask? Aren’t tattoos meant to be shown or displayed?” De Lima said in a press statement.

Paolo should not let another opportunity to pass for him to prove that his conscience is clean by showing his back tattoo, the senator added.

“He had a chance to do that during the Senate hearing when challenged by Sen. (Antonio) Trillanes. He blew it. Here’s another chance. If he has nothing to hide, Polong must go for it.”

De Lima was referring to the Senate hearing on the P6.4-billion smuggling of 604 kilos of methamphetamine or shabu into the Philippines in 2017.

Trillanes accused Paolo of being part of a triad, a syndicate involved in a number of criminal activities.

Paolo has accused Trillanes of being the mastermind of the video exposé, adding he would not show his tattoo on his back “and make things easier for Mr. Trillanes. Instead, I dare him and everyone behind the stupid and empty video exposé to back their claims against me.”

Trillanes, for his part, denied having a hand in the posting on YouTube of the video documentary.

The video entitled “Ang Totoong Narco List- Episode 1” uploaded on Youtube last April 2 tagged Paolo among the personalities involved in illegal drug operations.

A certain “Bikoy,” who introduced himself in the video as a former member of a large drug syndicate whose job was to record the group’s transactions, alleged that Duterte was among the syndicate leaders who received kickbacks from the illegal drug trade.

Bikoy said the dragon tattoo on Duterte’s back can prove the latter’s ties to a drug trafficking triad, adding that the code located at the upper portion of the dragon is similar to one of his supposed code names in the Tara: ALPHA TIERRA-0029.

De Lima said in challenging Paolo to prove his accusers wrong through the simple expedient of showing his back tattoo, she speaks partly from the perspectives of one who has been falsely accused and continues to be persecuted and demonized about her alleged drug links.

“I don’t want anybody else, not even any of the Dutertes, to be on the same boat, to be a victim of lies and injustices. Believe me, being falsely accused is the most painful thing. Indescribably painful. Worse than painful,” she said.

“So, again, unless he has something to hide, Polong better show the tattoo. Hindi pa naman nya siguro pinabura,” De Lima added. —Amita Legaspi/LBG, GMA News