The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday condemned the passage of the pan-blue camp's version of a statue to regulate the investigative committee on the March 19 shooting, saying the committee has seriously overridden the judicial power and infringed on the Constitution.
On the final day of the extra legislative sitting yesterday, the legislature passed the pan-blue's proposal for a special investigative committee -- which would use an independent prosecutor system -- to probe the March 19 assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮). The DPP's proposal to ask the Control Yuan, the government's watchdog agency to direct the committee's operations was snuffed out.
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
DPP officials said yesterday that the Cabinet will propose renewed discussions in a bid to reverse the legislation. If it can not be vetoed, the DPP legislative caucus will file for a constitutional interpretation of the new law. If either action fails to stop the operations of the committee, the DPP will not rule out the possibility of withdrawing from the investigation panel to oppose the pan-blue camp's committee legislation.
Presidential Office Secretary General Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday the pan-blue camp used its legislative majority to force the passage of the bill, which infringed the independence of the judicial power. The statue also has been widely criticized by private judicial-reform groups and academics, especially a clause which states that representation on the committee must reflect the number of legislators each party has in the Legislative Yuan.
"The statue is basically a product of the pan-blues' legislative violence," Su said yesterday in the party headquarters after a closed-door meeting of the Central Executive Committee.
Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑), deputy director of DPP's Policy Research and Coordinating Committee said the pan-blue camp's statue -- which gives committee members the power to investigate, discern evidence and prosecute without the permission from the judiciary -- is unacceptable.
"It is ridiculous that committee members can use their political judgment to decide who is guilty and then mete out charges against them, totally disregarding the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法). We have seen many prosecutors voice protests on the Web site of the Ministry of Justice," Liang said.
"These prosecutors said they would refuse to cooperate if asked by the committee," he said.
The DPP yesterday also released a public opinion poll regarding the pan-blue's shooting committee. The poll found that 57 percent of the public thought the committee should be free of political interference; 15.1 percent of the interviewees supported the pan-blue's committee legislation; and 27.9 percent had no opinion on the issue.
In other developments, the CEC members also agreed yesterday on a proposal that would require a direct election by all party members in choosing a new party chairman. The proposal is a revision to a 2002 party regulation which requires the president serve concurrently as the party chairman. The revision will be submitted to the party congress for final approval on Sept. 26. The 2002 party regulation which says the party can choose up to three vice chairmen was also canceled as well.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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