Newly appointed representative to Singapore Antonio Chiang (江春男) yesterday had his indictment over drunk driving “suspended” for a year, possibly paving the way for him to assume his new post.
However, he was fined NT$60,000.
Chiang, a former editor-in-chief of the Taipei Times, was scheduled to go to Singapore on Saturday last week, but had to cancel his reservation to await a decision by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on his case. His case was referred to prosecutors a day after he was sworn in as envoy to the Southeast Asian city-state.
Photo: CNA
The suspended prosecution means that the former National Security Council deputy secretary-general will not be indicted if he is not found guilty of breaking the law in the next 12 months.
Chiang demonstrated remorse by admitting to his offense after the fact, which did not cause any injuries, the prosecutors’ office said.
The prosecutors’ office also said that it took the office six working days to process Chiang’s case, which means there is little difference in the way the office has handled his case and other cases of drunk driving.
The Presidential Office, which has come under pressure from a civic group against drunk driving and some lawmakers to replace Chiang, did not comment on the prosecutors’ decision.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said that while the prosecutors’ office has made a preliminary decision on the drunk-driving case implicating Chiang, there are still other legal procedures awaiting the former journalist.
“Chiang will not report for duty before all relevant legal processes are completed,” Wang said, adding that the ministry does not have a timetable for Chiang’s assumption of his post.
Chiang, 72, has apologized for the incident and said he has engaged in self-reflection since his detention.
He was stopped by Taipei police on Binjiang Street in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday last week and given a Breathalyzer test, which showed a blood alcohol content of 0.27 milligrams per liter (mg/L), about double the legal limit of 0.15 mg/L.
Chiang was detained and referred to the prosecutors’ office for possible indictment on charges of causing a hazard to public safety.
Additional reporting by Stacy Hsu
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
RSS