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Soong statement slams Supreme Court's decision

DEAD HORSE: Refusing to accept last year's election, Soong joined Lien in criticizing the top as court `biased' after it threw out a pan-blue legal appeal

By Caroline Hong
STAFF REPORTER
Sunday, Jun 19, 2005, Page 3

"The justice system is the last fortification of democracy. However, this case shows that the current justice system ... has lost its commitment to the people," a statement issued by Soong said yesterday afternoon.

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the pan-blue camp's lawsuit seeking to nullify the election of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮). Their case was based on allegedly "suspicious circumstances" surrounding last year's presidential election.

The ruling, which was the final verdict on the lawsuit, was roundly criticized by the pan-blue camp on Friday.

Despite the PFP's actions over the past year hinting at the possible departure from the pan-blue camp's stance on the presidential election, Soong's statement was strongly in line with Lien's statement.

The PFP has consistently maintained that it finds the events, including the election-eve shooting of Chen and Lu suspicious. However, while a number of the party's legislators were among the most vocal and active in the mass protests following the election, the party refused to participate in the pan-blue camp's rally on March 19 marking the one-year anniversary of the shooting.

"Soong fully supports the five-point statement issued by Chairman Lien. The statement clearly expresses the resolute position of the KMT and the PFP on this case," Soong's statement said.

In his Friday night statement, titled "Justice cringes, those ruling are saturated with power," Lien expressed his grave disappointment in the Supreme Court's decision, adding that it was his belief that in time, the blue camp will get the justice it deserves.

In the statement, Lien criticized the Supreme Court for giving a "hasty" final verdict on the lawsuit because of the time limit on the lawsuit.

According to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election Law (總統副總統選舉罷免法), a final judgement on any recall or election suits must be made within six months.

Furthermore, Lien criticized the Supreme Court's finding that there was no evidence proving that President Chen influenced the result of the presidential election through the referendum held concurrently with the election.

While the Supreme Court found the official memorandum issued by Chen that the referendum and election be held on the same day was only a suggestion, Lien said that given that the Central Election Commission should be considered an "accomplice" in the administration's manipulation, given that it accepted the "suggestion" without first discussing it in a meeting.

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