Soong's secretary fails to show up for questioning

People First Party Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) former secretary failed to show up for questioning by Taipei prosecutors over the Chung Hsing Bills Finance scandal (興票案) yesterday. She said she didn't receive the summons.

Lin Bang-liang (林邦樑), chief prosecutor at the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, summoned Yang Yun-tai (楊雲黛) because she worked closely with Soong when the scandal was alleged to have taken place.

"We mailed the summons approximately two weeks ago and the summons was delivered on Nov. 4. Upon receiving the summons, a receipt is supposed to be returned to the sender but we didn't get it," Lin said. "Police officers said that Yang did not live at the address where she registered her household."

Lin said that the prosecutors' office will work out why Yang did not receive the summons and will summon her again soon.

When contacted by telephone, Yang said she did not realize that prosecutors wanted to see her.

"I didn't receive a notice or summons from prosecutors," Yang said. "However, I am more than happy to tell prosecutors whatever I know if I can be of any help."

Lin also confirmed that he had received an official statement from Soong. Soong said he sent the statement to prosecutors on Nov. 4 even though prosecutors had not asked for any information from him.

"He denied the statement of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) but he did not clearly explain where the money went," Lin said. "We decided to interrogate Yang and Soong's sister-in-law Chen Pi-yun (陳碧雲) and we will later decide whether we should summon Soong as well."

Chen, a US citizen, lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

According to a statement that was made public by Taiwan Solidarity Union lawmaker Chien Lin Hui-chun (錢林慧君) on Oct. 22 that she claimed was Lee's statement to prosecutors, Soong opened two bank accounts without authorization and allegedly embezzled NT$360.88 million between Sept. 17, 1991, and March 10, 1993. Soong was the secretary-general of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Lee was the chairman at that time.

Soong has said he would like to confront Lee about his allegations in front of prosecutors. But prosecutors said this would be impossible to arrange.