Legislators and representatives of civic groups yesterday berated the judiciary for what they said was six years of inaction over a corruption case involving Taitung County Commissioner Huang Chien-ting (黃健庭).
Huang was charged with corruption in 2008, when he was a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator.
He allegedly received bribes and kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies for helping secure drug supply contracts for public hospitals and clinics in Taitung County. Six years on, the remains in the preliminary stages in court, and Huang is running for re-election as county commissioner.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Taiwan Society president Chang Yen-hsien (張炎憲) told a news conference in Taipei that there were very unusual and suspicious circumstances surrounding Huang’s case, since the judiciary has not moved against him.
“It is a miscarriage of justice, because the judiciary appears to be showing favoritism to Huang, a KMT member,” Chang said.
“Who is manipulating our judiciary system behind the scenes?” Chang said, adding that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and National Security Council Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰), a long-time top aide to Ma, might be responsible.
“Ma and King have the power to manipulate the judiciary. They have interfered to protect their political ally, Huang. It is very worrying to see such abuse of political power,” Chang said.
“How can people trust the judicial system? People see it becoming an instrument to protect KMT politicians and officials. By stalling legal proceeding, people affiliated with the KMT can escape prosecution and can get away with their pervasive corruption and profiteering actions,” he said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) said the initial stage of most cases is wrapped up in 16 months.
“Why is this corruption case against Huang now in its sixth year? Why has there been no progress? Wu said.
Huang served out his term as legislator, was able to win election as Taitung County commissioner and is now running for a second term, which means “all Taitung residents could be losers in this affair because they might be voting for someone who could be found guilty of corruption,” Wu said.
DPP Legislator Wu Yi-chen (吳宜臻) criticized the judicial system for meting out different treatment based on political party affiliations.
“We keep on seeing the judiciary taking a delayed approach or no action when dealing with cases involving KMT and pan-blue camp people. However, the judiciary always moves swiftly in cases involving the DPP and the pan-green camp,” Wu said.
“The judicial system is showing its double standards and favoritism in this case. It has taken no action, no legal proceedings against Huang, although there is enough evidence against him. The judiciary is treating people of Taitung as fools,” she said.
Wu said it was obvious there has been a political pressure on judges against moving on this case.
“We see the KMT leaders subverting and destroying Taiwan’s judicial system. How long can the judiciary remain a tool of the KMT? The public will no longer have faith in the fairness and equality of our justice system,” she said.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique