DILI, 14 February 2020 (TATOLI) – A minute before he collapsed with a heart attack, the Commander of Timor’s Maritime Police Unit (UPM), Superintendent Lino Saldanha, gave some loving, but firm advice to his son: work hard.
The late Cmdr Saldanha spoke to his son, António Carol Winer Junior Carlvalho da Silva Salsinha, at their home in the Motael neighbourhood of Dili, while António was doing gymnastics exercises.
“Before we go to school Dad called us and told us: we should go to school and study hard, so that we can become a good person in the future,” said António, Saldanha’s fourth son.
António told TATOLI his father appeared healthy on Wednesday, and was still doing his regular work. The family’s neighbour, who asked not to be named, said the 49-year-old was up and exercising in the front yard around 7:00am yesterday morning.
“Yesterday (12 February) Dad was fine, and last night we were still sitting together. And this morning, Dad was up preparing [our] breakfast before school, and Dad was exercising in front of our house,” he said.
Antonio said his father was telling him how he survived the 1991 Santa Cruz massacre, when he began complaining of chest pains. He asked his wife, daughter and neighbour to help him to the hospital.
The head of HNGV hospital’s emergency department, Todi de Jesus, said by the time Cmdr Saldanha arrived at hospital, at around 10:30am, his heart had stopped. He was admitted to intensive care, but staff couldn’t revive him.
According to information accessed by TATOLI, Mr Lino began suffering from heart pain in 2010, during a visit to Japan. Upon return that year, he sought treatment for heart disease and hypertension, visiting specialists in Portugal and Australia, and his health is believed to have been recovering.
The Commander leaves behind his wife, Eulalia Bráz Carvalho da Silva, three sons, and four daughters.
Journalist: Eugénio Perreira
Editors: Francisco Simões; Robert Baird
Translation: Nelia Borges
