Book author and investigative journalist Raissa Robles just kind of blew our minds, you guys.
Have you noticed the small tattoo on President Rodrigo Duterte’s right hand? Just below his thumb. Yes, our Commander-in-chief is inked and there’s a deep meaning behind it. (Take a peek at the tattoo here.)
According to Robles’ interview with Jesus Dureza for Asia’s oldest English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post, Duterte’s presidential adviser on the peace process, the tattoo is the mark the “Magic Group” (yes, Dureza actually said that) of the Guardians Brotherhood.
Dureza jokingly referred to it as “a secret cult,” but explained that the Guardians is “a fraternal group of people.”
Initially, it was a “military fraternal group,” but eventually they started recruiting civilians as members. That’s how Dureza, a former city prosecutor and Duterete’s former classmate, and the President himself got involved in the group. However, Dureza is not aware when Duterte officially joined the Guardians Brotherhood.
“According to its website, the Guardians Brotherhood started out in 1976 during Marcos’ Martial Law as an informal soldiers’ group known as the ‘Diablo (Devil) Squad’,” Robles wrote.
A group with such an ominous sounding name was “disbanded,” but the members formally registered the group with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a “self-help group to improve soldiers’ welfare.”
But these guys did more stuff other than improving the welfare of military men.
According to the findings of the Davide Commission, a fact-finding group led by former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr, the “Guardians have been in nearly each coup attempt since July 1986.”
This includes all the failed coup attempts between 1986 to 1988, when the late president Corazon Aquino was still in power. During this time, Duterte was serving as Davao City’s “officer-in-charge vice mayor.” In 1988, he ran for mayor and won.
When secret meetings are held, the members verified each other’s affiliation by showing the discretely small hand tattoo. Yes, just like the one on Duterte’s hand.
So, what does this all mean? Yes, our president is a member of a group of people who tried to oust Corazon Aquino to put Marcos back in power.
Could this be why Duterte is a dear friend of the Marcoses despite his numerous declarations about hating corrupt officials who steal from the government and from the people?
Or why Duterte dismissed all criticisms and approved the burial of the late dictator at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery)?
READ: Former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani on Sep 18
In an earlier version of this report, we referred to Hilario Davide Jr as the “late chief justice”. The former chief justice of the Philippines is still alive. Our sincerest apologies to Mr Davide and his family.
