PFP celebrity falls from grace

With fellow People First Party (PFP) Taipei City councilors by his side, PFP Taipei City Councilor Mike Wang bursts into tears yesterday while begging the party leadership not to expel him. PHOTO: WANG MING-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES

People First Party (PFP) Taipei City Councilor and TV identity Mike Wang's (王育誠) political career has been damaged after his accusations that food stalls were reselling food from funeral parlors were found to be based on faked evidence. But now he also faces a lawsuit from business owners and a wider investigation.

Wang admitted during a press conference late on Tuesday night that the video footage of the alleged activity, which he used while questioning Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), was phony -- but he insisted that the practice did exist.

Yesterday Ma said, "I was already feeling that there might be something wrong with Councilor Wang's accusation at the time he was questioning me at the council."

APOLOGY

The PFP also announced it will suspend Wang's party membership and has apologized to the public for the false accusations.

Wang yesterday was offering no more excuses over the matter, and was reduced to tears at a second press conference.

"I really don't want to leave the PFP. I didn't mean to hurt anybody," he said.

But Wang's use of the video footage at the Taipei City Council may also have violated the law if it is considered to have humiliated an office of government.

The police have also determined that a motorscooter used in the video was stolen, and Wang and his aides may now be investigated for theft.

"Councilors enjoy immunity in the same way that lawmakers do," Taipei District Prosecutor's Office spokesman Lin Bang-liang (林邦樑) said. "But outside the city council, [Wang] does not enjoy that immunity, so he must be responsible for what he did if he breaks the law."

Lin also said that Wang could be sued by the owners of the restaurants for defamation.

Judicial Reform Foundation executive-general Kao Yung-cheng (高涌誠) said Wang's false accusations damaged the restaurants' reputation and impacted on their business.

A good chance

The restaurants stood a good chance of winning any case as well as compensation if they filed suits against Wang, he said.

"The prosecutors will begin investigating this case because what Wang may have done justifies public prosecution," Kao said. "However, for the damage he caused to those restaurants, it is quite possible that they will win a case against Wang."

But Kao said that the restaurants would have to present evidence of financial or other damage sustained to win the case.

A difference in the total income made before and after the incident would probably be sufficient evidence, he said.