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After vote-buying charge, Soong cries `persecution'

Soong Li-hua, independent candidate for Pingtung County Commissioner, wipes away a tear while complaining that it is difficult to be a woman in the political world, at a press conference yesterday. Soong, who has been accused by prosecutors of vote-buying, claims that she is the victim of political persecution. PHOTO: CNA

Pingtung County Commissioner independent candidate Soong Li-hua (宋麗華) yesterday accused law enforcement agencies of "political persecution" against her after they conducted a raid on her campaign offices on Wednesday, looking for evidence of vote-buying.

She said she would not quit the election because of the incident.

Search warrant in hand, Pingtung County law enforcement authorities Wednesday morning sent about 260 officers to rummage through Soong's campaign offices looking for evidence of bribery.

The agents found a number of electronic appliances, including refrigerators, microwave ovens, electric fans and bicycles. Soong was suspected of beign involved in bribing voters through a lottery scheme through which supporters received gifts.

After the raid, 77 people were interrogated by prosecutors, and some of them reportedly admitted accepting bribes from Soong.

To save her image, Soong yesterday held a news conference at her campaign office, saying that the raid was "political persecution" against her because she was the most promising candidate for the Pingtung County commissionership.

"I have the greatest hope of winning, which makes me the first victim that is persecuted," Soong said with tears and sobs.

"I am running for Pingtung County commissioner as an independent candidate, and have no strong political back-up. That is why I am targeted," she said.

At the news conference, many Soong supporters shouted "Get elected! Get elected!" to encourage her, but she never stopped crying throughout the entire news conference.

Soong said that she never offered any gifts to voters, and added that she never participated in any lottery in person. She alleged that she had been framed by rivals.

Soong also displayed pictures and CDs that contained what she said was evidence of vote-buying by two other commissioner candidates, the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Tsao Chi-hung (曹啟鴻) and the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) Wang Chin-shueh (王進士).

She asked prosecutors to investigate the cases quickly.

Soong said that she would not drop out of the election, despite the impact of the raid on her campaign.

As for Soong not appearing when subpoenaed, her husband, Tsai Hao (蔡豪), a Non-Partisan Solidarity Union lawmaker, said that Soong would go to the Pingtung District Court to make an explanation to prosecutors after the news conference.

However, when the press conference concluded, Soong did not offer an explanation.

Tsai was prosecuted for vote-buying and taking election-related kickbacks last December.
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