The parents of the suspect in the stabbing spree on Taipei’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system last week appeared outside Jiangzicui (江子翠) Station yesterday afternoon to apologize to the families of the victims for the losses that their son had caused them.
Four people were killed and 23 injured in the incident on Wednesday last week and 21-year-old university student, Cheng Chieh (鄭捷), was detained in connection with the stabbings.
Taiwanese tradition dictates that the families of the dead pay tribute to them on the seventh day after their deaths, when it is believed that their spirits will return to their families and loved ones.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Cheng’s parents issued a written statement apologizing for their son’s alleged actions on Friday last week, which New Taipei City Councilman Lin Kuo-chun (林國春) read out for them.
However, they were criticized by victims’ family members and others for not making the apology in person to the families.
Surrounded by a scrum of police, journalists and photographers, Cheng’s parents tearfully knelt and bowed to the public outside the station yesterday afternoon, asking for forgiveness.
Photo: Chen Wei-tsung, Taipei Times
“We are Cheng Chieh’s parents. Today is the seventh day. Please forgive us for not being able to pay our respects to the families of the victims. We are ordinary people and do not have ways to find out the information [about the families]. We can only do that [pay respects] later if we have the chance. We really do not know what to do after spending these past few days in torment,” Cheng’s father said.
“We deeply apologize to the victims and the injured for the horrendous crime committed by Cheng Chieh,” the father said.
“He is our child, and his actions have caused unbearable pain to the families of the victims. As his parents who love him, we are utterly disappointed with and have lost faith in him. We have tasted the bitterness of a broken family,” the father said.
Given the severity of the crime, prosecutors are likely to seek the death penalty in the case, he said, adding that this was the consequence his son should face.
“My heart is in pain, but I hope that the judge will quickly put Cheng on trial and rule on the case, and by doing so, give some consolation to the victims,” he said.
“As the parents who raised Cheng for 21 years, we must have made mistakes that we were not aware of. Nevertheless, we have no excuse,” he said. “We hope that Cheng Chieh will be a good man in his next life.”
Family members of 52-year-old Pan Pi-chu (潘碧珠) and 28-year-old Hsieh Ching-yun (解青雲) — both killed in the attack — said that Cheng’s parents should personally pay homage to the victims at their homes, not just in front of the media.
However, the parents of another victim, 26-year-old Chang Cheng-han (張正翰), rejected the idea, saying such a gesture was meaningless and would not bring their son back.
“His [Cheng Chieh] parents did not teach him well and he eventually became society’s problem. Society has paid a great price for his deed,” Chang’s mother said. “This shows that family education is important.”
Meanwhile, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) held a five-minute-long silence to mourn the victimsat all MRT stations that began at 4:26pm, which is the time the stabbing rampage started.
Words of mourning were displayed on the monitors inside the stations.
“May 21, 2014 was the saddest day in our Metro’s history. Let’s mourn for the loss of lives, pray for those who were injured and strive for a peaceful society. May the Heavens bless Taiwan,” the company said.
In other developments, TRTC general manager Tan Gwa-guang (譚國光) said the families of the four people killed would receive a total of NT$1.6 million (US$53,000) from the company, in addition to NT$4 million from the passenger insurance policies bought by TRTC.
The company would hire attorneys to assist the families seeking indemnifications, and it would cover the costs of both civil and criminal lawsuits, he said.
The MRT cars where the stabbings occurred will not be returned to service until they have undergone spiritual cleansing, he said.
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS