Minister of Tourism sued General Inspector for Lottery Games over bribery scandal

Minister Vong shows Christmas gift with amount of US$10.000 which allegedly as a bribery scandal from General Inspector for Lottery Games, Miguel Lobato. Photo Timor Post/Acacio Pinto.  

DILI – On December 22, 2017, General Inspector for Lottery Games, Miguel Lobato brought a Christmas gift of US $ 10,000 and was given to the director of administration and finance for the purpose of a joint Christmas party, but finally minister of tourism Manuel Vong and his deputy Rui Menezes reported Lobato to the high prosecutor's office to be processed in accordance with legal channel for allegedly the action as a bribery.

Minister Vong explained, on December 22, 2017, he made a working visit in Aileu, and his deputy lived in Dili. At that time, Lobato brought a Christmas gift with the amount of US $ 10,000. This money was put in two envelopes. Each envelope contains US $ 5000 for the purpose give to the minister and his deputy.

“Because we all did not answer the phone, so he gave this money to the director of administration and finance. I do not know, and I do not want to know. I say zero tolerance to something that does not belong to me. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's,” he said.

Vong questioned that “why at Christmas time the person with the title of General Inspector for Lottery Games or a director has this much money to give to me and my deputy? I say, my dignity is not bought with money”.

However, the former rector of the Dili Institute of Technology admits that he is not angry with anybody, and does not criminalize anyone.

“But I do not accept this behavior because it is not clear, there is no clear justification. I would adequately to present the money to public prosecutor office to find out where the money is from”.

He added that after receiving the inauguration to serve as tourism minister, he already had the principle to uphold transparency and good governance.   

 Timor Post, Tuesday, 9th of January 2018. 

On January 5, 2018 when minister Vong and his deputy had passed a meeting at his office, Lobato entered in a violent and intimidating manner. From this incident, the minister and his deputy immediately decided to report Lobato to the public prosecutor office.

"I am grateful to the State for having given me two bodyguards that hindered him. I am very afraid. My wife and son are also afraid ".

He did not want to comment on defamation but let the $ 10,000 will explain everything.

During Christmas there are also many people who bring Christmas gifts to his house but he refused, and Christmas gifts from his office have been distributed to all his staff.

"There are some people who bring Christmas gift to my house but I was refused. So, I do not do defamation ".

 General Inspector for Lottery Game, Miguel Lobato. 

Meanwhile, General Inspector for Lottery Games, Miguel Lobato recognized that he was carrying the money to give to his minister and his deputy, but because the minister had other thoughts to report to the public prosecutor office.

Lobato said, US $ 10,000 not his money but from someone who wants to help the ministry of tourism to do a joint Christmas party.

“But because of minister had other thought that I want to bribe him so that’s why he took all the money and reported me to the public prosecutor office,” Lobato said. 

“There is a case against me about suborn. I wait; I hear only but not yet receive any notification. When there is notification I will go to defend myself. I also will report the minister because he defame me. I feel that I am not committed bribery”.    

He added, Christmas gift is not categorized as bribery because he gave the money not with any intention to get something back from the minister.

“The person who gave the money stated that to support the ministry in order to do a joint Christmas party, not to bribe”.  

The police are still investigating Lobato for his behavior on 5 January, and US $ 10,000 while still in the process of investigation in the public prosecutor office. (oki)

A version of this article appears in print on Tuesday, 9th January 2017, on page 1 of the Timor Post edition with the headline: Bribery?.   

Deskonfia Halo Subornu, Ministru Turizmu Keixa Miguel Lobato ba MP

Ministru Turismu Manuel Vong, hatudu hela Foto kopia envolope ne’ebé deskonfia nia Inpetor jeral ba Jogu Miguel Lobato halo subornu ba nia ho nia Vice Ministru. Foto Timor Post/Acacio Pinto. 

DILI – Iha loron 22 fulan Dezembru tinan 2017, Inspetor Jeral ba Jogu Miguel Lobato lori osan fiziku hamutuk US$10.000 fó ba diretora administrasaun no finansa atual xefe gabinete interina Ministériu Turizmu nian ho intensaun ajuda ministeriu atu halo natal konjuntu, maibé ikus mai Ministru Turizmu Manuel Vong hamutuk ho nia vise Rui Menezes hato’o keixa ba Ministériu Públiku hodi prosesa tuir dalan legal, tanba konsidera nu’udar aktu subornu. 

Ministru Vong esplika, iha loron 22 fulan Dezembru tinan 2017, nia ba hala’o serbisu iha munisipiu Aileu, no nia vise Rui Menezes hala’o serbisu iha Dili de’it. Iha tempu ne’eba, Inspetor Jeral ba Jogu sira, Miguel Lobato lori oferta osan ho montante US$10.0000. Osan sira ne’e tau iha envelope rua. Kada envelope kontein US$5000. Osan sira ne’e atu fó ministru ho vise ministru.

“Tanba ami hotu la atende telefone, entaun nia entrega ba diretora administrasaun no finansa ne’ebé mak hala’o kna’ar nu’udar xefe gabinete interina. Ha’u lahatene, no ha’u lakohi hatene. Ha’u dehan zero toleransia ba buat hirak ne’ebé mak la’os ha’u nian. Fó ba Maromak buat ne’ebé Maromak Nian, fó ba ema buat ne’ebé ema nian. Fó ba ha’u buat ne’ebé ha’u nian, no fó ba Estadu buat ne’ebé Estadu nian” hatete Ministru Vong ba Timor Post iha nia serbisu fatin, Farol – Dili, Segunda (08/01).

Vong kestiona katak “tanba saida mak iha tempu Natal nian ema ho nivel hanesan Inspetor Jeral ka diretor ida iha osan barak hanesan ne’e atu mai fó ba ha’u ho ha’u nia vise? Ha’u dehan, ha’u nia dignidade la sosa ho osan. Sa tan governu nia dignidade. Sa tan Estadu nia dignidade,” esplika Ministru Vong.

Maske nune’e, eis reitor Dili Institute of Technology (DIT) ne’e konfesa katak, nia la harius ema ida, no la kondena ema ida.

“Maibé, ha’u la simu attitude ida ne’e. Tanba buat ne’e, laiha klareza, laiha justifikasaun klaru, di’ak liu, ha’u ba entrega ba Estadu, Ministériu Públiku hodi bele buka hatene fontes osan ne’e mai hosi ne’ebé” esplika eis reitor DIT ne’e.

Nia hatutan, hafoin tomada posse hodi assume kargu nu’udar Ministru Turizmu, Vong iha ona prinsipiu katak nia sai hosi uma ba assume kargu ministru ne’e depois tenke fila – fali ba uma.

“Ha’u ho ha’u nia vise katak ami mai hosi uma tenke fila ba uma. Ami lakohi fila ba fatin seluk ka ‘prijaun Bekora’. Ida ne’e ha’u nia firmeza,” nia esplika.

Nia hatutan, iha fali loron 5 fulan Janeiru tinan 2018, ministru Vong hamutuk ho nia vise lidera hela enkontru ida iha nia serbisu fatin, ho derepente de’it inspetor Miguel Lobato tama dudu odamatan ho brutalidade, hakilar ho lian maka’as, no hasai liafuan tolok ba ministru ho nia vise inklui funsionariu sira. Hosi akontesementu ida ne’e mak sira desidi hodi hato’o keixa ba Ministériu Públiku, no osan hamutuk US$10.000 ne’e agora iha hela prosesu investigasaun.

“Sorte, ha’u agradese tebes ba Estadu, tau netik eskoltu nain rua be tahan netik buat sira ne’e. Ha’u tauk tebes. Ha’u nia fen ho oan sira hakarak ha’u serbisu ho trankuilidade,” esplika ministru Vong.

Nia lakohi komenta kona – ba kazu defamasaun, maibé nia ka’er de’it kona – ba evidensia osan fiziku hamutuk US$10.000 hosi Inspetor Jogu, Miguel Lobato.

“Evidensia mak ko’alia. Ne’ebé, ha’u lakohi ko’alia kona – ba defamasaun,” nia esplika.

Nia hatutan, durante natal mós ema barak mak fó prezente natal ba nia, maibé prezente hirak ne’e nia desidi hodi fó hotu kedas ba nia funsionáriu.

“Ema balun mós lori prezente natal ba to’o uma, maibé ha’u la simu ida. Ne’ebé, ha’u la halo defamasaun,” nia hatete.

   Timor Post edisaun Tersa, 09 Janeiru 2018. 

Iha parte seluk, Inspetor Jeral ba Jogu sira, Miguel Lobato rekoñese katak, nia mak lori duni osan sira ne’e ba entrega iha Ministeriu Turizmu, tanba iha tempu ne’eba nia telefone ba ministru ho nia vise atu ko’alia kona – ba prezente natal ne’e, maibé sira nain rua la atende telefone, no Miguel mós hakat kedas ba ministeriu hodi husu tuir paradeiru ministru nian, nia ba hala’o serbisu iha munisipiu Aileu.   

Lobato esplika, osan ho montante US$10.000 la’os ninian, maibe hosi ema ida ne’ebé mak hakarak ajuda ministeriu atu realiza natal konjuntu ida iha tempu ne’eba.

“Maibé, tanba ministru iha hanoin seluk dehan ha’u atu halo subornu ne’e mak nia ba hato’o keixa,” hatete Miguel Lobato via telemovel ba Timor Post.

“Keixa ida iha Ministériu Públiku kona – ba subornu. Ha’u hein, ha’u rona de’it, maibé seidauk hetan notifikasaun. Kuandu iha ona notifikasaun mak ha’u ba halo defeza. Keixa ida ne’e dehan ha’u halo suborn, ha’u mos halo keixa ida kontra nia. Ministru Turizmu. Ha’u halo keixa kontra nia, tanba nia halo defamasaun. Ha’u sente katak, ha’u la halo subornu ba nia,” justifika Lobato.

Nia hatutan, ema fo hadia natal (prezente natal) liuhosi nia ne’e mak nia lori ba fo.

“Ne’ebe ha’u fo ba nia mak lakohi karik bele fo fali. Ha’u subornu ne’e kuandu iha prosesu ruma. Ha’u lori osan ba fo ba nia para nia hodi aprova prosesu ne’e,” nia esplika. 

“Ema ne’ebe foo san ne’e mos legal, la’os illegal. Ne’ebe ha’u ba ne’e ha’u manan mutlak kedas. Se ha’u lamanan nia, entaun justisa ne’e laloos,” justifika Lobato.

Nia hatutan, tuir loloos osan nain ne’e hakarak fo direitamente ba ministru, maibe tanba ladun toman malu ka koñese malu, entaun fo de’it ba Miguel Lobato mak lori ba.

“Kuandu ema ne’e lori osan mai, ha’u foti telefone ba ministru, maibé la foti. Depois ha’u telefone fali, vise ministru mós la foti. Depois ha’u tenta tan ba husu iha nia gabinete dehan ministru ba tiha Aileu. To’o ikus mai ne’e mak ha’u titip (rai) hela iha sekretaria, maibe la’os ho intensaun atu halo suborn,” esplika Lobato.

Nia hatutan, prezente natal ne’e la’os kategoria ba subornu, tanba subornu ne’e kuandu nia foo san, entaun tenke hetan buat ruma hosi ministeriu, maibé nia la husu buat ida.

“Ema ne’e fo ne’e dehan buat ne’e atu fo apoiu ba ministeriu hodi halo natal konjuntu nian, na’ebe ha’u mos ba fo de’it la ho intensaun atu halo subornu,” nia esplika. 

Nia konsidera asaun ne’ebe ministru Vong halo ne’e ho intensaun atu hases nia hosi kargu Inspetor Jeral Jogu, maibe ministru Vong rejeita katak nia laiha intensaun ruma atu ezonera nia hosi kargu ne’ebe oras ne’e nia assume hela. Maske nune’e, ministru deklara katak lei fo dalan ba ministru sira hodi ezonera ka suspende ema sira ne’ebe assume kargu xefia sira. No funsionariu públiku ne’e Komisaun Funsaun Públiku (KFP) mak iha kompetensia hodi promove no ezonera.

Entretantu, tuir informasaun balun ne’ebé Timor Post hetan hosi Ministériu Públiku katak, total osan US$10.000 ne’e mesak osan tahan US$20 nia de’it, no oras ne’e sei iha hela prosesu investigasaun. 

Entretantu, parte polisia mós oras ne'e hala'o hela prosesu investigasaun ba Miguel Lobato kona - ba nia involvimentu tenta ataka ministru Vong ho nia estrutura iha Ministériu Turizmu iha loron 05 Janeiru 2018. (oki)

Notisia versaun ne'e públika iha Jornal Timor Post edisaun Tersa, 09 Janeiru 2018 iha pájina primeiru ho titlu: Subornu? 


A version of this article appears in print on Tuesday, 9th January 2017, on page 1 of the Timor Post edition with the headline: Bribery?  .

East Timorese have “not panic” with illegal weapons

 

DILI – The issue of illegal weapons has become a very hot political discussion among politicians especially from the present government.

But the evidence shows that until now almost all the people are “not so panic” with this issue. The main subject of discussion in their daily lives is about the political situation that has not been clear. 

But this issue has shaken the national parliament by delaying the discussion agenda on budget rectification. According to the agenda, this budget rectification discussion was held on December 14-15, but the president of parliament Aniceto Guterres postponed it on December 18 because he felt unfavorable to the statement of the Minister for Defense and Security and Commander of the Timor - Leste Defense Force, Major General Lere Anan East.

A two-day parliamentary debate over the government's amended budget, which was increased to $1.61 billion from the 2017 budget of $1.39 billion, ended with most members of the ruling coalition walking out late Tuesday.

The Parliamentary Majority Alliance, or AMP, the country's opposition with 35 seats in the 65-member parliament, then voted to reject the budget just before midnight. It was the second defeat suffered by the government after its policy program was rejected on Oct. 19.

The present government not only faces the opposition in parliament but also confronts the illegal weapons that allegedly enter from the border between Batugade (Timor - Leste) and Atambua (Indonesia).

Major General Lere has stated that illegal weapons are already widespread in Timor - Leste because these weapons allegedly come from the Atambua border, but the Indonesian embassy in Timor - Leste until now has not given a statement on this matter.

Minister for Defense and Security José Agustinho Sequeira 'Somotxo' has alerted civilians who still have weapons in their homes to be immediately displaced to the government on 31 December this year.

Somotxo added that suspicion of illegal weapons that spread across Timor - Leste was a problem for defense and security in Timor - Leste.

“I appeal to civilians who still keep weapons in their homes that the deadline is on 31 December. More than this is already considered as a crime” he said.

New gun laws in East Timor defeated in Parliament

According to the WikiLeaks that, the document presents a draft for a new gun law in East Timor, proposed by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão and successfully defeated by the FRETILIN opposition in a parliament session on 25th of June 2008.

According to first news reports the document is relevant especially within the context of the 2006 ruling over firearms regulations in East Timor. Section 4 of the draft holds the main controversial angle of the proposal, granting sole and discretionary power over authorizing civilian arms possession to the Commander of the East Timor National Police. 

The history of firearms in the hands of civilians has contributed to all the bloody episodes in the country's tortured history and the new law comes in the wake of the 2006 illegal weapons distribution case when the then FRETILIN government Interior Minister, Rogerio Lobato, was involved in the distribution of weapons to civilians. This illegal weapons distribution contributed to a catastrophic breakdown in law and order in East Timor and Mr Lobato was subsequently sentenced to more than 7 years imprisonment for his role in the weapons distribution and manslaughter.