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Saturday 24 January 2009
DPP allies urge Chen to admit corruption
Political heavyweights in Taiwan’s pro-independence camp have turned against former president Chen Shui-bian, urging him to plead guilty to corruption charges.
Political heavyweights in Taiwan’s pro-independence camp have turned against former president Chen Shui-bian, urging him to plead guilty to corruption charges.
“He should have pleaded guilty a long time ago,” said Lin Cho-shui, a stalwart of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. “If he would do that now, it would still not be too late. Otherwise, all his followers and comrades will turn against him.”
Mr. Lin said that from Chen’s former aides to his relatives, there had already been “a tsunami of ranks-breaking”.
On Wednesday, Chen’s son, Chen Chih-chung, daughter-in-law, Huang Jui-ching, and brother-in-law, Wu Ching-mao, pleaded guilty to charges they acted as his proxies in money laundering.
Two of Chen’s aides said at a hearing on Tuesday that they merely carried out his instructions about how to account for special state funds. Chen has been charged with taking bribes, embezzling state funds, money laundering, influence peddling, blackmail and forging documents.
Mr. Lin, a former DPP legislator, said the actions of Chen and his wife seriously damaged the image of the party and the island.
“It is time for the party to get rid of the burden and review its core values in order to map out plans and strategies for its future,” he said.
DPP legislator Chiu Yi-ying said the former presidential couple should learn something from their son and daughter-in-law.
“Stop lying and don’t drag more people into the troubled water,” she said.
Another DPP legislator, Tsai Huang-liang, urged the couple to “bravely and honestly face justice”.
On Wednesday, former premier Frank Hsieh Chang-ting also appealed to Chen and his wife to face justice honestly. Mr. Hsieh lost in last year’s presidential election to Ma Ying-jeou of the mainland-friendly Kuomintang.
Chen, who has been in the Taipei Detention Centre since December 30, told visitors the guilty pleas by his son and daughter-in-law did not surprise him.
“He told us he was aware that his son had pleaded guilty and that he had peace of mind because the guilty pleas did not come as a surprise to him,” said Wu Shu-min, director of Taiwan Society, a local pro-independence group.
KMT legislators have speculated that the young couple’s guilty pleas were a strategy to help them win acquittal.
Prosecutors said they offered to plead guilty in the Wednesday’s hearing in exchange for negotiations for a pardon.
“But we are in no hurry to do so as we still need to discuss this with the prosecutor-general and other prosecutors,” said prosecutor Chen Yun-nan.
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DPP allies urge Chen to admit corruption
Lawrence Chung in Taipei
23 January 2009
Political heavyweights in Taiwan’s pro-independence camp have turned against former president Chen Shui-bian, urging him to plead guilty to corruption charges.
“He should have pleaded guilty a long time ago,” said Lin Cho-shui, a stalwart of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. “If he would do that now, it would still not be too late. Otherwise, all his followers and comrades will turn against him.”
Mr. Lin said that from Chen’s former aides to his relatives, there had already been “a tsunami of ranks-breaking”.
On Wednesday, Chen’s son, Chen Chih-chung, daughter-in-law, Huang Jui-ching, and brother-in-law, Wu Ching-mao, pleaded guilty to charges they acted as his proxies in money laundering.
Two of Chen’s aides said at a hearing on Tuesday that they merely carried out his instructions about how to account for special state funds. Chen has been charged with taking bribes, embezzling state funds, money laundering, influence peddling, blackmail and forging documents.
Mr. Lin, a former DPP legislator, said the actions of Chen and his wife seriously damaged the image of the party and the island.
“It is time for the party to get rid of the burden and review its core values in order to map out plans and strategies for its future,” he said.
DPP legislator Chiu Yi-ying said the former presidential couple should learn something from their son and daughter-in-law.
“Stop lying and don’t drag more people into the troubled water,” she said.
Another DPP legislator, Tsai Huang-liang, urged the couple to “bravely and honestly face justice”.
On Wednesday, former premier Frank Hsieh Chang-ting also appealed to Chen and his wife to face justice honestly. Mr. Hsieh lost in last year’s presidential election to Ma Ying-jeou of the mainland-friendly Kuomintang.
Chen, who has been in the Taipei Detention Centre since December 30, told visitors the guilty pleas by his son and daughter-in-law did not surprise him.
“He told us he was aware that his son had pleaded guilty and that he had peace of mind because the guilty pleas did not come as a surprise to him,” said Wu Shu-min, director of Taiwan Society, a local pro-independence group.
KMT legislators have speculated that the young couple’s guilty pleas were a strategy to help them win acquittal.
Prosecutors said they offered to plead guilty in the Wednesday’s hearing in exchange for negotiations for a pardon.
“But we are in no hurry to do so as we still need to discuss this with the prosecutor-general and other prosecutors,” said prosecutor Chen Yun-nan.
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