Why does Duterte have a small tattoo on his hand?

MANILA, Philippines. Rodrigo Duterte is the only Philippine head of state so far who sports a tattoo. In case you’ve missed it, the 71-year-old politician has a tiny tattoo on the back of his right hand, between the thumb and the index finger.

So why exactly did Duterte get inked?

Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza revealed in his interview with investigative journalist Raissa Robles for South China Morning Post that the tattoo is the mark of the Magic Group, the Guardians Brotherhood. Dureza was actually referring to the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Incorporated, an organization that was first known as “Diablo Squad” in 1976.

“We are members of Guardians Brotherhood. It’s a fraternal group of people. It started as a military fraternal group. Then they got also civilians as members,” Dureza told Robles.

Comprised of informal soldiers during Marcos Martial law era, the group is now headed by Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II. General Fabian Ver had the group disbanded but former members registered it with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a self-help group to advance soldiers’ welfare.

The Davide Commission, a fact-finding body led by former chief justice Hilario Davide, discovered that the group “have been in nearly each coup attempt since July 1986”. This means that the group was behind the plot to oust former President Corazon Aquino and bring back former President Ferdinand Marcos to power during failed coup attempts from 1986 to 1988.

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