The statement criticized the president for flouting the law and the Constitution.
Ma was making decisions based on political considerations, the statement said, adding that the move not only jeopardized national security and national interests but also left the former president with having to choose between keeping national secrets and defending himself.
The Supreme Prosecutors Office yesterday said it welcomed the Presidential Office’s decision to open the documents as it would be very helpful in their investigation into Chen’s involvement in the state affairs fund scandal.
At a separate setting yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅), who accused Chen and his wife of misusing the “state affairs fund” in 2006, lauded Ma’s decision to declassify the documents.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) told a separate press conference that Chen might file a lawsuit against Ma, arguing that his decision would constitute an offense against national security.
He said the Council of Grand Justices’ Ruling No. 627 issued in June last year recognized the president’s confidentiality privilege, and that given such a privilege, the president could determine whether a document should be kept confidential for national security or national interest concerns.
Since Chen approved the permanent classification of the documents relating to diplomatic secrets as confidential information, Ma would be violating the law and the Constitution by opening the documents, Gao said.
Additional reporting by Rich Chang and Flora Wang
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