Paolo Duterte (L) and Manases Carpio (R) denied accusations that they helped facilitate the shipment of crystal methamphetamine worth 6.4 billion pesos ($125.4 million) into the Philippines from China in exchange for payment (AFP Photo/NOEL CELIS)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's son and son-in-law denied allegations Thursday that they belonged to a drug trafficking gang, with the explosive claims raising questions about the government's bloody anti-narcotics crackdown. Paolo Duterte testified before a Senate inquiry Thursday and claimed he had no links to multimillion-dollar shipment of shabu (slang for crystal methamphetamine in parts of southeast Asia) from China to Manila in May, describing such allegations as "baseless." "My presence here is for the Filipino people and for my fellow Davaoeños whom I serve," Duterte said, as cited by Reuters, referring to the people of Davao, where his father served as mayor for more than 20 years before his election as president in 2016.Senator Antonio Trillanes, one of President Duterte's most vociferous opponents,"I cannot answer allegations based on hearsay," Paolo Duterte, the vice mayor of the southern city of Davao, told the Senate as cited by Reuters.When asked if a photograph could be taken of the tattoo and sent to the US Drug Enforcement Agency for analysis, he simply replied, "No way. “My presence here is for the Filipino people and for my fellow Davaoenos whom I serve.”

On Tuesday Duterte said he had told Paolo to attend the Senate investigation if he had nothing to hide, besides advising him not to answer questions and invoke his right to keep silent. Official records show that more than 3,800 people have died in police raids since July 2016, though Human Rights Watch claims the figure is closer to 7,000.President Duterte has vowed to resign if his critics could prove any of his family members were involved in corruption. But opposition senator Antonio Trillanes at the inquiry accused Duterte's son of belonging to a drug trafficking gang, saying the 42-year-old had a tattoo on his back, resembling a dragon, that was "proof... of his membership" in the gang. Trillanes also focused on Paolo Duterte’s rumored tattoo — rarely, if ever, seen in public — which he claimed was a “dragon-like” inking on his back that included secret digits and allegedly connected him to a criminal syndicate. Paolo Duterte acknowledged he has a tattoo during questioning but refused to show it, citing his right to privacy.
The Philippine Senate investigates Paolo Duterte, the son of current Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, in an alleged methamphetamine smuggling scandal.