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Lawmakers grill judicial chief

Judicial Yuan President Weng Yueh-sheng, right, and Vice President Cheng Chung-mo prepare to answer questions from legislators yesterday. PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Pan-blue legislators grilled leaders of the Judicial Yuan yesterday on their opinions about the status of the Republic of China (ROC) on day one of a five-day confirmation process for 15 nominees for the Council of Grand Justices.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) nominated the candidates in May, with Judicial Yuan President Weng Yueh-sheng (翁岳生) and Vice President Cheng Chung-mo (城仲模) both seeking a second term.

Opposition lawmakers asked the two men to comment on Saturday's rally called to backing demands to change the name of the country from the ROC to Taiwan that was led by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

"The ROC exists at the moment," Weng said, adding that his nomination was offered according to and complied with the Constitution.

Weng said he would respect the former president's statement that the ROC had ceased to exist because everyone in a diverse society is entitled to freedom of speech.

"But any proposal to change the name of the country or amend the Constitution needs to be resolved through constitutional procedures," he told Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Kuo Tien-tsai (郭添財).

Weng promised that, if approved by the legislature on Sept. 16, he would swear in the judicature as Judicial Yuan president in accordance with the Constitution.

During a day of intense questioning, Cheng expressed his respect for Saturday's rally but, in response to a question from KMT Legislator Lee Chia-chin (李嘉進), said, "I possess an ROC passport and my ID card clearly states that I am an ROC citizen."

"I am being examined in the ROC Legislative Yuan," he added.

Lee challenged Cheng over his support for Chen in next year's presidential election, saying that stumping for the president would conflict with the neutrality that was imposed on him as the Judicial Yuan vice president.

"It is impossible for judicial personnel, including a grand justice, to act as a pillar [vote captain] for electoral candidates since our professional calling prohibits our involvement in politics," Cheng said.

Weng said an apparent attempt to undermine his nomination had made him even more determined to advance judicial reform

Independent Legislator Su Yin-kuei (蘇盈貴) on Friday revealed that he had received 90 letters from anonymous writers criticizing the nominees, especially Weng.

The charges in the letters included that Weng had pressed for other members of an association he founded to promote reforms in administrative law to be included among the other 14 grand justice nominees.

He said yesterday that within two months of his confirmation, he would further map out his plans for judicial reform.
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