Security chiefs impeached for `failures' on March 19

"The security of the president and vice president directly influences national and social security."

Chen Chin-li, Control Yuan member

The Control Yuan yesterday officially impeached nine officials for dereliction of duty over the March 19 assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).

Among those impeached were former National Security Bureau (NSB) chief Tsai Chao-ming (蔡朝明), former deputy chief of the NSB special service center Chiu Chung-nan (邱忠男), the president's former chief aide-de-camp Lieutenant General Chen Tsa-fu (陳再福) and deputy chief of the General Shen Tsai-tien (沈再添).

Chen Lu were travelling in an open motorcade in Tainan City canvassing for votes, one day before the presidential election when they were shot at twice, both sustaining minor injuries.

The Control Yuan decided that security personnel on duty that day were negligent and Control Yuan members criticized the impeached officials severely yesterday.

"The security of the president and vice president directly influences national and social security, and the security measures to protect the two leaders should be of the highest caliber," said Control Yuan member Chen Chin-li (陳進利), who is in charge of the investigation of the case.

"But under Tsai's leadership, the security mission completely failed; this damaged the country's image and impaired social order. Tsai should be responsible for poor leadership and supervision," Chen Chin-li said.

He added that when the president and vice president were out on the streets to greet the public, Chen Tsa-fu and Shen failed to ask the two leaders to put on bullet-proof jackets, and they also broke rules regarding the motorcade formation, which resulted in the security personnel's failure in guarding the president.

The Control Yuan's impeachment of Chen Tsa-fu and Shen comes as another blow to the Presidential Office's decision in early June to reward them after they were removed from their posts, although Chen Chin-li was reluctant to comment on whether the rewards were appropriate.