Tattoos now legal in QC

Persons wearing a tattoo of the notorious "Sputnik Gang" can now roam freely in Quezon City without fear of getting arrested or questioned by policemen.

This, after the Quezon City Council legalized tattoos and other body designs, even if they are identified with notorious criminal gangs – repealing a 38-year-old ordinance.

The councilors abolished an antiquated local ordinance that was passed in 1964 which prohibited tattoos and forming juvenile gangs, such as the "Bahala Na Gang," "Sigue-Sigue," "Oxo," and other similar groups.

Fourth District Councilor Ariel Inton said that the antiquated law clearly violates the constitutional guarantee of the people’s right to form and join organizations, or to be tattooed.

"We are not encouraging the youth of Quezon City to join these gangs or to have tattoos, but many have been jailed without any wrong-doing, but because they sported tattoos," Inton said in a press statement. – Matthew Estabillo and Romel Bagares