PFP lawmaker presents tapes implicating Twu

PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安) yesterday released two recorded conversations in the legislature to back up her charge that top health official Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) recently attended a party where he sexually harassed another man.

Lee, who has weighed in on the dispute on behalf of the alleged victim, Cheng Ko-jung (鄭可榮), also petitioned the Control Yuan later in the day to launch a probe into Twu's moral conduct.

Cheng has said that Twu, the acting head of the Department of Health, kissed him and licked his ear during a party at a KTV parlor in downtown Taipei on Aug. 6. Cheng, 32, who owns a dumpling shop on Roosevelt Road, added that Twu told him he is bisexual and his wife is aware of his sexual orientation.

In the recorded conversations, a man Lee said was Cheng expressed his discomfort with being kissed by Twu. In late breaking news last night, however, Ding accused Tu Hau-lin, chief of the DOH's personnel department, of being the man who licked Cheng's ear.

"What was going on with Twu/Tu the other day?" Cheng asked his friend, Ding Jui-feng (丁瑞豐), in one of the phone conversations released to the media. "He [Twu//Tu] lay his hands on me and forcefully kissed me. Didn't you see that?" Cheng asked his friend, who had invited Cheng to the KTV party.

Ding replied, saying he was too drunk to remember anything about the night.

Ding gave a positive answer when asked whether Twu/Tu was the official soon to be promoted as head of the health department.

Cheng told Ding he felt uncomfortable about the sexual advances and left the party later.

"It was really an unpleasant experience," the alleged victim said. "Do you know I walked home that night?"

The PFP's Lee said she hoped this and another phone conversation between Cheng's wife and Ding would remind Twu of his presence at the social gathering two months ago.

During the conversation, Cheng's wife blamed Ding for failing to protect her husband.

"How could you allow Twu to harass Ko-jung? He trusted you so much. The incident hurt me as well," Cheng's wife said.

Ding said he attended parties from noon until night on the date in question and was unclear about what transpired at the KTV parlor.

"I know how you feel but nothing serious could happen between them. There were more than 10 people at present, not just a few of us. After all, Ko-jung is a grown-up," Ding said.

Cheng's wife then asked Ding if others experienced the same treatment. Ding again said he did not remember. "I am not sure. It is likely that he [Cheng] sat next to him [Twu/Tu] in the room. It's crowded. What are you worried about? I would be angry if you meant to blame me," he said and hung up on Cheng's wife.

Lee and Cheng were interviewed by a prosecutor in the legislature after the news conference.

Cheng reiterated that he only wanted an apology from Twu. But the health official has roundly denied the harassment charge and filed a libel suit against his accusers.

Lee and Cheng later turned over two video tapes, two audio tapes and one written complaint which Lee said was evidence of the incident to Control Yuan member Lin Chiou-shan (林秋山), and asked Lin to probe the case.

At the Control Yuan, Cheng declined to restate his allegations and asked for a private talk with Lin instead.

"I've said what I wanted to say in the past few days. I've been under great pressure. I don't want to repeat those plots again to the media," Cheng said.