Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Cheng, the deputy chairman of the Jenlan Temple, (
"I called NSB Director-General Hsueh Shih-ming (
PHOTO; TSAI CHIH-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
"I did that just to help rescue a friend," Wang said.
Local news reports said Cheng and Yen have a close relationship, and Yen had used his political power and alleged mafia connections to try to save Cheng.
Chinese-language newspapers said that while Cheng was being held, Yen and another person tried to bypass the police and communicate directly with the kidnappers.
Local media also yesterday identified gang member Lee Jaw-hsiung (
Cheng denied that his family paid NT$25 million, and newspapers alleged he did not want police to investigate the crime because of Cheng's alleged shady business dealings, which may have been connected to the kidnapping.
In April, Lee had helped to negotiate the ransom and secure the release of Yu Kuo-chu (
Local newspapers also reported that Yu made roughly NT$10 billion last year from an international sports gambling and casino Web site, which is illegal in Taiwan.
Newspapers, in addition, said Lee also had helped secure the release of Taichung City Council Speaker Chang Hung-nien (
In addition to Lee's help, newspapers said in order to rescue Cheng, one of his closest friends, Yen "mobilized" as many gangsters as he could to save Cheng's life.
Newspapers said Cheng was treated well by his captors during the 10-day ordeal as a result of Lee's influence. Reports also said the kidnappers feared retribution from gangsters should they have killed Cheng.
According to police, the kidnappers not only gave him food and led him take showers, but also offered him medicine for diabetes.
Newspapers also said that police were bothered by the way "gang members dealt with other gang members."
Taichung police yesterday said that members of the Lin Ming-hwa (林明樺) criminal group, which was involved in a brutal shooting at a tea house in Taichung last year, likely committed the kidnapping.
They also said they have increased coastal patrols to prevent the criminals from fleeing the country.
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