Now you think, being at dinner, I have to stop to salute. Not even if it were the Pope!
A firefighter was detained early Friday morning (05/19/2011) in Cuiabá, while having breakfast in the cafeteria of the 1st Fire Department Battalion of Mato Grosso. The incident involved Corporal Júlio César Lopes da Silva, who allegedly failed to salute a lieutenant. The Fire Department Command will open an administrative procedure to investigate the case.
By phone, the soldier explained to G1 that the Disciplinary Regulation of the Military Police of Mato Grosso refers to the Regulation of Salutes, Honor, Signals of Respect, and Military Ceremonial of the Armed Forces to establish disciplinary punishments. It also stipulates that, during meals, it is not necessary to stand up and salute superiors. "That's what I did: when the lieutenant entered the cafeteria, I remained silent," argued the firefighter.
"She told me to get up and asked if I wasn't going to salute, and I replied that, according to the regulation, it wouldn't be necessary. That's when she left the cafeteria, returning minutes later with five superiors and subordinates of mine, ordering my arrest for insubordination," he reported. "The regulation is very clear when it states that one must remain silent when having any meal, but this entire formality is not necessary," Júlio César added. At the end of the morning, Corporal Júlio was released and continued his duties.
The soldier holds a Full Licentiate in Portuguese/English Literature from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), a Bachelor's degree in Law, a Technician in Tourism from the Federal Center for Technological Education (Cefet), and a Specialization in Labor Law. Júlio also placed second in a national monograph competition, addressing the theme of Public Security. His resume also includes several articles published online.
One of them, produced in 2008, ironically deals with the theme "Definition of disciplinary transgression," where the firefighter writes: "The disciplinary regulations of military institutions usually define disciplinary transgression as any violation of the principles of ethics, military duties, and obligations, in their elementary and simple manifestation, and any omission or action contrary to the precepts established in law, regulations, norms, or provisions, as long as they do not constitute a crime." He argues that "only conduct expressly provided for by law can be considered a disciplinary transgression, it being inadmissible to extend, analogize, or approximate it."
"Arbitrary" arrest
The firefighter's lawyer, Marciano Xavier das Neves, considered the arrest arbitrary. According to him, "the regulation states that it is enough to greet the officer, and that's what Corporal Lopes did," he justifies. Furthermore, according to the lawyer, the soldier did not offend the lieutenant's dignity, diminish her authority, nor lack decorum. For Marciano das Neves, the Fire Department command committed the infraction.
After being released, Corporal Júlio did not confirm if he would take legal action against the corporation, but told G1 that he would take all necessary steps to prevent the incident from happening to other uniformed colleagues working in the barracks.
Case will be investigated
In a statement, the Social Communication Coordination of the Fire Department informed that it "regrets the friction that occurred on the premises of the 1st Firefighters Battalion in Cuiabá, where Corporal Júlio Cesar Lopes da Silva allegedly disrespected and failed to comply with an order issued by a lieutenant of the unit."
It also states that an administrative procedure was immediately opened to investigate the facts, confirming that the corporal remained detained to give a statement and was released after being heard. It also highlights that witnesses will be heard.
According to the official communication, the procedure will be forwarded to the institution's Inspectorate, which will assess whether a disciplinary transgression or a military crime was committed, or if nothing was committed. The investigation of the facts is expected to occur within 30 days.
In case of a military transgression, punishments range from a warning "to exclusion in the interest of discipline." The crime is classified in the Military Penal Code and judged by the Military Justice. ([[Original text by Andréa Jover from G1 MT]])
Some officers think they are Gods. They demand excessive superficial respect, when in reality they lack much dignity. These officers believe they are respected simply because someone is forced to salute them, but respect lies much more in a handshake than in useless ceremonies. Sílvio Lôbo
Now you think, being at dinner, I have to stop to salute. Not even if it were the Pope!
A firefighter was detained early Friday morning (05/19/2011) in Cuiabá, while having breakfast in the cafeteria of the 1st Fire Department Battalion of Mato Grosso. The incident involved Corporal Júlio César Lopes da Silva, who allegedly failed to salute a lieutenant. The Fire Department Command will open an administrative procedure to investigate the case.
By phone, the soldier explained to G1 that the Disciplinary Regulation of the Military Police of Mato Grosso refers to the Regulation of Salutes, Honor, Signals of Respect, and Military Ceremonial of the Armed Forces to establish disciplinary punishments. It also stipulates that, during meals, it is not necessary to stand up and salute superiors. "That's what I did: when the lieutenant entered the cafeteria, I remained silent," argued the firefighter.
"She told me to get up and asked if I wasn't going to salute, and I replied that, according to the regulation, it wouldn't be necessary. That's when she left the cafeteria, returning minutes later with five superiors and subordinates of mine, ordering my arrest for insubordination," he reported. "The regulation is very clear when it states that one must remain silent when having any meal, but this entire formality is not necessary," Júlio César added. At the end of the morning, Corporal Júlio was released and continued his duties.
The soldier holds a Full Licentiate in Portuguese/English Literature from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), a Bachelor's degree in Law, a Technician in Tourism from the Federal Center for Technological Education (Cefet), and a Specialization in Labor Law. Júlio also placed second in a national monograph competition, addressing the theme of Public Security. His resume also includes several articles published online.
One of them, produced in 2008, ironically deals with the theme "Definition of disciplinary transgression," where the firefighter writes: "The disciplinary regulations of military institutions usually define disciplinary transgression as any violation of the principles of ethics, military duties, and obligations, in their elementary and simple manifestation, and any omission or action contrary to the precepts established in law, regulations, norms, or provisions, as long as they do not constitute a crime." He argues that "only conduct expressly provided for by law can be considered a disciplinary transgression, it being inadmissible to extend, analogize, or approximate it."
"Arbitrary" arrest
The firefighter's lawyer, Marciano Xavier das Neves, considered the arrest arbitrary. According to him, "the regulation states that it is enough to greet the officer, and that's what Corporal Lopes did," he justifies. Furthermore, according to the lawyer, the soldier did not offend the lieutenant's dignity, diminish her authority, nor lack decorum. For Marciano das Neves, the Fire Department command committed the infraction.
After being released, Corporal Júlio did not confirm if he would take legal action against the corporation, but told G1 that he would take all necessary steps to prevent the incident from happening to other uniformed colleagues working in the barracks.
Case will be investigated
In a statement, the Social Communication Coordination of the Fire Department informed that it "regrets the friction that occurred on the premises of the 1st Firefighters Battalion in Cuiabá, where Corporal Júlio Cesar Lopes da Silva allegedly disrespected and failed to comply with an order issued by a lieutenant of the unit."
It also states that an administrative procedure was immediately opened to investigate the facts, confirming that the corporal remained detained to give a statement and was released after being heard. It also highlights that witnesses will be heard.
According to the official communication, the procedure will be forwarded to the institution's Inspectorate, which will assess whether a disciplinary transgression or a military crime was committed, or if nothing was committed. The investigation of the facts is expected to occur within 30 days.
In case of a military transgression, punishments range from a warning "to exclusion in the interest of discipline." The crime is classified in the Military Penal Code and judged by the Military Justice. ([[Original text by Andréa Jover from G1 MT]])
Some officers think they are Gods. They demand excessive superficial respect, when in reality they lack much dignity. These officers believe they are respected simply because someone is forced to salute them, but respect lies much more in a handshake than in useless ceremonies. Sílvio Lôbo
