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DPP says amendment aimed at former president

ROC Central News Agency

2010/08/20 21:04:35

Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Friday a legislative amendment that scraps benefits for ex-presidents or vice presidents found guilty of corruption at a first trial targets former President Chen Shui-bian.

DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said that although Chen's case is not yet finished, the legislature has been in a rush to deprive him of his benefits.

"For the public, this act represents a lack of the kindness that is characteristic of Taiwanese people," Tsai said.

Su Tseng-chang, a former premier and the DPP candidate for Xinbei City, said the revision seemed to be very "specific" in targeting former president Chen.

Su said he respected the legislature's decision, but pointed out that "overly political and controversial legislation will certainly widen the confrontation between the ruling and opposition camps."

Chen Chih-chung, the son of the detained former president and a candidate for the Kaohsiung City Council, called the amendment "vindictive" and said the move violated the principle of presumed innocence.

He also said that the amendment will cost the family dearly, as medical bills for his mother, who has been paralyzed from the waist down since 1985, are nearly NT$200,000 per month, and he is busy with campaign activities.

Chen Shui-bian's office will also face closure due to lack of funds, he said.

"The KMT has taken the vindictive move for the sake of the municipality elections, " he said, urging voters to speak with their ballots in the year-end elections.

The legislative revision of the statute was cleared during an extra session of the legislature on Thursday.

Originally, only former presidents and vice presidents convicted of sedition or treason would have their benefits scrapped. Chen, even though he has been convicted of corruption in the first and second trials and is presently being detained, has still received the benefits and preferential treatment accorded all former presidents.

But under the amended law, former leaders convicted of corruption in the first trial will be stripped of a monthly payment of NT$250,000 and personnel and other miscellaneous fees that amount to NT$8 million in the first year after stepping down, NT$7 million in the second year, and NT$6 million in the third year. Between the fourth and eighth years, the amount averages NT$5 million annually.

Security escorts will also be cut from the present eight to 12 guards to two or three. (By Sophia Yeh, Johnson Sun, Chang Che-fon and Lilian Wu) enditem/bc