Some 70 elected local officials from the borough warden level up have been indicted since June in the government's war against "black gold," according to newly released statistics from the Ministry of Justice.
Meanwhile, prosecutors yesterday continued to question possible suspects and conduct raids in connection with several cases.
The chief of Lukang township (鹿港), Changhua County, was questioned about suspected bid-rigging in a local park construction project, but they later released him on NT$1 million bail.
In a separate case concerning an embankment construction project, prosecutors raided the town hall of Tacheng township (大城), Changhua County, and took some officials in for questioning. As of press time no detention or releases had been reported.
In Taichung County, prosecutors searched the home of the Shalu (
Among the approximately 70 people already under indictiment are one county commissioner, one city mayor, seven township chiefs, seven borough wardens and village chiefs, two legislators, 24 county councilors and 26 township councilors.
The county commissioner is Fu Hsueh-peng (
George Chang (張燦鍙), DPP mayor of Tainan, was indicted for allegedly covering up the corrupt practices of his subordinates. The prosecution requested that he be sentenced to 12 years in jail.
Two of the indicted legislators are the KMT's You Hwai-yin (
Last Friday, Changhua District Prosecutors' Office indicted 215 people involved in vote-buying for KMT candidates in the March presidential election, including Yuanlin township (
On the same day, Taitung County prosecutors indicted 19 current and 22 former county councilors, including the incumbent speaker and vice speaker, on corruption charges. Taitung County Council has a total of 29 councilors.
Last month, the township chief and all 13 councilors of Huwei township (
Nantou County Commissioner Peng Pai-hsien (
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week. Although there has been no formal change to the Philippines’ diplomatic stance on recognizing Taiwan, Manila is increasingly concerned about Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea, the report said. The number of Chinese vessels in the seas around the Philippines, as well as Chinese
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative