Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus
Filomeno in 2019
Minister of Defense
In office
9 July 2018 – 1 July 2023
Prime MinisterTaur Matan Ruak
Preceded byAgostinho Sequeira Somotxo
Succeeded byPedro Klamar Fuik
Personal details
Born (1953-03-27) 27 March 1953
Political partyIndependent
SpouseMaria José dos Mártires de Carvalho
Children5
Alma materNational University of East Timor

Brigadier General Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus (born 27 March 1953) is an East Timorese politician and former senior officer in the Timor Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL). From July 2018 to July 2023, he was Minister of Defense, serving in the VIII Constitutional Government of East Timor led by Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak. Between October 2011 and July 2018, he was the Deputy Chief of the F-FDTL.

Early life and career

Filomeno was born in Bobonaro, in the western part (which is known as Loro Munu) of the then Portuguese Timor. In 1973, he graduated from the Liceu Dr. Francisco Machado after completing seven years of secondary education.[1]

From September 1971 to August 1975, Filomeno worked in the colonial financial administration of Portuguese Timor. In 1974, he was one of the founders of the Timorese Social Democratic Association (ASDT), which, in September 1975, renamed itself Fretilin. In November 1975, Fretilin unilaterally declared the independence of Portuguese Timor, and its Central Committee appointed Filomeno as Vice Secretary of Justice, assisting Justino Mota.[1]

Military career

Upon the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975, Filomeno joined FALINTIL, which was then the military wing of Fretilin. From March to June 1976, he was a Platoon Commander, and from June to September 1976 he served as Commander of the then Liquiçá Subdistrict. Between September and November 1976, he was Secretary of the then Liquiçá District, and from January to October 1977, Political Assistant in the Northern Frontier Sector (Portuguese: Fronteira Norte).[1]

In late 1977, Filomeno was appointed as 2nd Commander of the Northern Frontier Sector. Soon afterwards, he was promoted to Commander of that Sector.[1] When the situation became too critical and there was a risk of death from disease and hunger, he contacted the Indonesian armed forces in Fatubessi, Ermera. On 7 February 1979, most of the East Timorese military and civilian leaders surrendered the Northern Frontier to the Indonesian Battalion 512.[2]

In the aftermath of the visit of Pope John Paul II to East Timor in 1989, the Indonesian army subjected potential troublemakers to preventive detention to avert demonstrations in support of East Timorese independence. Among them was Filomeno, who was arrested in June 1990 and taken to the military base in Dili.[3]

On 1 February 2001, according to a process that had begun in 1999, FALANTIL was transformed into the Defence Force of the soon-to-be independent Democratic Republic of East Timor, under the supervision of the United Nations.[4] Simultaneously, Filomeno was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and appointed as chief of logistics. In February 2004, he became the Naval Commander, and in 2006 he was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. In September 2007, he was transferred to the post of Deputy Chief of the Defence Force, which he held until August 2008, when he was appointed as head of the Development Office of Planning for the "Force 2020" project.[1]

Meanwhile, in early 2008, Filomeno served as first commander of Operation Halibur, a Joint Command of East Timor's Defence Force and several other agencies. The Joint Command was established to go after and capture Gastão Salsinha, the key living person suspected of committing the unsuccessful 11 February 2008 attacks on the President and Prime Minister of East Timor. On 25 April 2008, Salsinha agreed to surrender, and three days later the members of his group arrived in Dili and were arrested.[5]

In January 2010, Filomeno was appointed as Chief of Staff, and in October 2011 he was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Defence Force.[1]

On 9 February 2015, President Taur Matan Ruak announced that he would appoint Filomeno as the new Chief of the Defence Force to succeed Lere Anan Timur, and promote him from brigadier general to major general. However, such an appointment would have been at odds with the view of the Council of Ministers of the VI Constitutional Government, which had proposed on 12 October 2015 that Timur's mandate be renewed.[6]

Following further discussions in April 2016, the President announced on 15 April 2016 that he had accepted one of two proposals presented by the Government on 13 April 2016. Under that proposal, which the President described as the "generational transition" proposal, he would appoint Captain of sea and war Donaciano Gomes, nom de guerre Pedro Klamar Fuik, as Chief of Defence Forces (CEMGFA), and Colonel Calisto dos Santos, nom de guerre Coliati, as his deputy. The President had previously rejected the other proposal, which had been that the mandates of Timur and Filomeno would be extended for two another years; both of them would now retire.[7][8]

In the end, however, none of the proposed changes took place during the tenure of President Taur Matan Ruak. Eventually, on 5 October 2017, after the VII Constitutional Government had been formed, new President Francisco Guterres accepted a proposal by the new Government that Timur's and Filomeno's terms of office be extended for another year.[9]

Political career

In June 2018, Filomeno was nominated as Minister of Defense of the VIII Constitutional Government of East Timor that was being formed by Taur Matan Ruak, and resigned as Deputy Chief of the F-FDTL. However, he was absent from the Constitutional Government's swearing-in ceremony on 22 June 2018.[10][11]

There were administrative problems. Filomeno's formal exoneration from his post as Deputy Chief of the F-FDTL had not yet been completed administratively. Such an exoneration can be pronounced by the President, but only on a proposal by the government, which had not yet been forthcoming.[11][12][13]

On 5 July 2018, Filomeno was appointed as Minister by President Guterres; he was sworn in on 9 July 2018.[14][15] He has remained in that office notwithstanding the breakdown of the Alliance for Change and Progress (AMP) coalition during the first few months of 2020, and the consequent restructuring of the government in mid-2020.[16]

Filomeno's tenure as Minister ended when the IX Constitutional Government took office on 1 July 2023. He was succeeded by Pedro Klamar Fuik.[17]

Personal life

Filomeno is the son of Miguel Faria de Jesus and Norberta Ximenes de Jesus. He is married to Maria José dos Mártires de Carvalho, and the couple has five children.[1]

Honours

RibbonAwardDate awardedNotes
Insignia of the Order of Timor-Leste5 May 2017[18]
Halibur Medal[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Minister of Defence: Biography". Ministry of Defence (East Timor). Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Comissão de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliação de Timor Leste (CAVR) (2005). "Part 5: The History of the Conflict". Chega! The Report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation. Dili, East Timor. Retrieved 23 December 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ↑ Comissão de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliação de Timor Leste (CAVR) (2005). "Chapter 7.4: Detention, Torture and Ill-Treatment". Chega! The Report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation. Dili, East Timor. Retrieved 23 December 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ "An Overview of FALINTIL'S Transformation to F-FDTL and its Implications". The La'o Hamutuk Bulletin. La'o Hamutuk: Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis. 6 (1–2). 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "Timor-Leste Legal News May 2008 (Part 1): Palace, karaoke, and prison: Salsinha's first three days in Dili". East Timor Legal News Archive 2006-2008. Lusa. 1 May 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  6. ↑ "PR timorense exonera chefe das Forças de Defesa, nomeia novo comandante" [Timorese President dismisses head of Defence Forces, appoints new commander]. SAPO (in Portuguese). Lusa. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  7. ↑ "Press Release". Presidência da República de Timor-Leste. Government of Timor-Leste. 15 April 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  8. ↑ "Novo comando das forças de Defesa timorenses representa "transição geracional"" [New command of the Timorese Defence Forces represents "generational transition"]. RTP News (in Portuguese). Lusa. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "PR timorense renova mandato de chefia das forças de defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL)" [Timorese PR renews mandate to head the defence forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL)]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Lusa. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  10. ↑ "Primeiro grupo de membros do VIII Governo timorense tomou posse em Díli" [First group of members of the VIII Timorese Government take office in Dili]. SAPO 24 (in Portuguese). Lusa. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  11. 1 2 "Líder das Forças de Defesa espera novo ministro da Defesa em julho" [Defence Forces leader expects new defence minister in July]. SAPO 24 (in Portuguese). Lusa. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  12. ↑ "Taur Matan Ruak on Tight Rope". Reflesaun: A reflection on Timor Leste. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  13. ↑ "Nomeação de novo ministro da Defesa de Timor aguarda fim de processo administrativo" [Appointment of new Timor Defence Minister awaits end of administrative process]. Timor Agora (in Portuguese). 25 June 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Decreto do Presidente da República Número 21/2018" [Decree of the President of the Republic Number 21/2018]. Jornal da República (in Portuguese). Government of Timor-Leste. 1 (27A): 1. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  15. ↑ "Structure of the VIII Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "Swearing-In and organic structure of the Eight Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  17. ↑ Martins, Filomeno (30 June 2023). "The list of structure of IX Constitutional Government announced in Official Gazette". Tatoli. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  18. ↑ "PR timorense condecora principais figuras do Estado na reta final de mandato" [Timorese President honors key State figures in the final term of office]. Diário Notícias (in Portuguese). Lusa. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  19. ↑ Photograph of Filomeno wearing the Halibur Medal ribbon bar.

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