DPP official says charges result of prosecutors' bias

DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chin-yung files a complaint to the Control Yuan yesterday accusing Hualien's chief prosecutor Yang Ta-chih of being impartial in his handling of the judicial proceedings during the Hualien County commissioner by-election. PHOTO: CNA

After refusing attend a court hearing on Wednesday, DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) said yesterday he would visit the Hualien Prosecutors' Office today and answer charges he directed vote-buying activities in the Hualien County commissioner by-election.

Lee told a press conference yesterday that his absence on Wednesday was to protest prosecutors allowing politics to interfere with judicial proceedings.

Lee also filed a complaint with the Control Yuan yesterday accusing Hualien's chief prosecutor, Yang Ta-chih (楊大智), of siding with partisan interests in handling the campaign.

"Yang had violated the principle of withholding investigation information before the lawsuit was established when he revealed information to the media about an alleged vote-buying practice by DPP supporters," Lee said.

"He also contacted reporters about a press conference to attack Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) via the KMT's campaign headquarters. ... Such behavior is in violation of the administrative neutrality that a legal executor should have," Lee's complaint stated.

A lawyer himself, Lee explained his reason for rejecting the interrogation request.

"I wanted to reveal how some prosecutors in Hualien had betrayed the principle of judicial impartiality in handling their cases. The prosecutors should have weighed properly the necessity to use the investigation authority instead of bringing charges against me in such a hasty manner," Lee said.

The Hualien Prosecutors' Office charged Lee because of a DPP campaign promise to give a monthly service allowance of NT$5,000 to Hualien Aboriginal chieftains if the party's candidate, You Ying-lung (游盈隆), was elected as county commissioner.

Lee said making campaign promises is a legal practice in any democratic society, which guarantees candidates can propose beneficial policies to their supporters.

Lee added that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had made similar promises during his bid to become Taipei City mayor when he pledged to increase the monthly service allowance for the city's borough chiefs. Lee said PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) had also promised to increase the bonus for retired military veterans.

"How come these former candidates have never faced similar prosecution?" he asked.

Lee said the proposed service allowance increase for Aboriginal chieftains is a designated policy studied by the Executive Yuan's Council of Indigenous Peoples (原住民委員會) and that there is nothing wrong with having You announce the policy.

"Chieftains are esteemed in Aboriginal society. They also have a responsibility to help with the tribal public affairs. Their role is similar to that of a borough chief. If the allowance increase for borough chiefs in Han society can be established, why can this not be applied to Aboriginal society," Lee said.