DPP urges former president to reflect on his morality issues
ROC Central News Agency
Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) expects indicted former President Chen Shui-bian to reflect on the morality issues pertaining to himself and his family, DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang said Wednesday.
In an interview with reporters following a meeting of the DPP's Central Standing Committee, Cheng said that DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen had made the appeal to the former president in a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.
In the letter published in the Chinese-language China Times Wednesday, Tsai said, "We expect him to set an example for the society. He must reflect upon the morality issues pertaining to himself and his family, and face the law bravely."
Cheng noted that the DPP chairwoman had already apologized to the Taiwan people on behalf of the DPP over the corruption and money laundering scandals implicating the former president and his family.
Cheng said Tsai's apology represented the party's own introspection, as the former president was a part of the DPP although he and his wife withdrew from the party in August after admitting that they had wired large sums of money abroad.
Asked whether the former president also needs to engage in introspection, Cheng said, "We do have expectations."
The DPP's call on Chen and his family to face the law came a day after DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying, a former staunch supporter of the ex-president, urged the four indicted members of the former first family, especially former first lady Wu Shu-jen, to "face the law, instead of telling more lies and fooling around with the feelings of the DPP members."
Chen and his wife were indicted last week on charges of embezzlement, bribe-taking, money laundering and forgery in four cases.
According to the Special Investigation Division under the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, Chen and his wife embezzled NT$104 million (US$3.12 million) from a special Presidential Office discretionary fund during his presidency from 2000 to 2008.
They also took bribes worth NT$100 million and NT$200 million in connection with a land procurement deal and another NT$90.93 million in kickbacks to help a contractor win the tender for a government construction project, according to the indictment.
The prosecutors recommended that the former president be given the harshest possible sentence for his alleged crimes involving nearly half a billion new Taiwan dollars.
They also demanded severe penalties for his wife, son and daughter-in-law for their "unrepentant attitude" in the course of investigations, and recommending commuted sentences for 10 other defendants whom prosecutors said had been cooperative and helpful in the process of the investigations.
Chen was released Dec. 13 upon his own recognizance shortly after the indictment, despite a request by prosecutors to keep him in custody, after he had been detained for 32 days as prosecutors prepared their cases against him.
The prosecutors have filed an appeal with the Taiwan High Court against Chen's release, contending that, as they still need to investigate several other corruption cases involving Chen and his wife, some of the witnesses might not dare to tell the truth if he is allowed to remain free.
The prosecutors also said they still need to trace NT$570 million (US$17.29 million) in bribe money, and that if Chen is not in custody, he could erase the evidence, as he tried to do before he was detained. (By Han Nai-kuo) ENDITEM /pc
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