Ang tattoo. Bow.

Netnet Camomot

SENATE Blue Ribbon Committee chair Sen. Richard Gordon, in a CNN interview with Pia Hontiveros on Friday, did say that it’s “much ado about nothing.”

There has been much ado on the alleged involvement of Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his bro-in-law Atty. Mans Carpio in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China and the so-called Davao Group.

Finally, the two appeared at the Senate inquiry on Thursday, and we expected the most shocking revelations. Roar!

Instead, there was Sen. Antonio Trillanes asking the vice mayor if he has a dragon tattoo. Uh. So, it’s a dragon, not a roaring lion.

And this was not an ordinary dragon tattoo but one with what Trillanes called “sacred digits” that would prove the vice mayor is a member of the Triad.

I don’t know if this would be a first at a Senate inquiry: the vice mayor taking off his jacket and shirt to reveal the tattoo on his back. If it was on his most private part—ugh, awkward, eh?

On May 13, 2016, then-Davao City Mayor-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio posted on Facebook a photo of her and her brothers Paolo and Baste, with this caption: “Sibling tats. Pinilit ko sila to do this tattoo and this pose. Hehehe. I love you my brothers. Perks of being the only girl.”

They had the same fish tattoo at the back of their respective left legs: a koi fish for luck. Perhaps they have other tattoos? Hmmm.

That was more than a year ago, when the three—triad?—were celebrating the family’s success in the 2016 elections.

Triad usually means “a union or group of three.” Urban Dictionary has what Trillanes was trying to prove, though: “A term used to describe many Chinese criminal organizations. They are the most well-known organized crime group in China, Hong Kong, and Macao.”

After the Senate hearing, Mayor Sara then posted on Facebook a photo of a tattoo, with this caption: “Trillanes and USDea. Paki Decode. Please. By the way, thank you Edwin Miraflores for the triad tattoo.”

That’s the USDea aka US Drug Enforcement Agency.

This latest tattoo photo that Mayor Sara posted had a tiger, a horse, and I think a dog—another triad or “group of three.”

Others, including Sen. JV Ejercito, reacted the same way, by posting photos of their tattoos on social media.

Another hard habit to break in these Senate hearings is the senators’ tendency to show photos of their suspects posing with other suspects. This is advanced algebra: one plus one equals three a.k.a. triad.

I have photos with President Rody Duterte and other past presidents of Pinas, would these make me an accomplice in case any of them ends up in a Senate inquiry in the future? Juice colored. But there’s executive immunity, to help the president focus on his responsibilities and not on lawsuits.

Kenneth Dong, who’s also in the Senate inquiry on the P6.4-billion shabu shipment, wondered aloud why his photos were being presented at the inquiry as proof: “Hindi ko kasi ginagamit ’yon, hindi para ipakita sa ibang tao na may connections ako. Tulad sa ibang Pinoy na ’pag nakakita ng public figure, ‘Oh, Senator, pwede pa-picture?’ I think it’s very normal para sa isang tao.”

But Sen. Leila de Lima had a photo with drug trafficker Kerwin Espinosa, and that probably strengthened the reasons to detain her in jail.

By the way, is Espinosa still an alleged drug trafficker? Or an already confirmed drug trafficker? Gosh. The power of the adjective.

Espinosa’s father, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, was killed when Jovie Espenido was the town’s police chief, but the latter denies any involvement since it happened in jail and not in a police raid like what happened to Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog.

Iloilo City would have been Espenido’s next assignment, but then, the city’s suspected drug lord Richard Prevendido was killed in a police operation last Sept. 1 even before the new police chief could transfer. So, who’s saved by the bell on this?

Everyone was already expecting Iloilo to be the third time’s a charm for Espenido but his transfer was cancelled and he was ordered to remain in Ozamiz due to its residents’ threat to have a people power if he leaves. Besides, Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog’s was out-of-country as of last week, hopping from Japan to Malaysia to attend conferences. His family, however, has left the country for security reasons. Flight is a sign of guilt? Whew. Conspiracy theories, anyone?

Espinosa, Espenido, Prevendido—much like a Spanish verb conjugation. And you have to look once, twice, thrice—triad!—to ensure you’re spelling each of their surnames correctly.

The Senate hearing resumes today and it will probably have Charlie Tan, an alleged Davao Group member. Abangan.

Today is also the 100th birth anniversary of former President Ferdinand Marcos, and the 16th anniversary of 9/11. How will you remember today then?