The former director of the National Security Bureau's (NSB) special service center, Peng Tzu-wen (彭子文), was reported to have received a stern lecture from a High Court judge yesterday when he appeared in court for a trial in which he is accused of leaking national secrets.
"Try not to be so talkative, because you are a military official," Judge Wang Fu-shing (王復生) was quoting as saying by Chinese-language newspapers, in his remarks to Peng.
When Peng's lawyer referred to Peng as "the general" in the courtroom, the judge snapped, "no titles of office are allowed in my court."
Visibly shocked
Peng and his lawyer seemed visibly shocked by the judge's outburst, the report said.
Peng was indicted in August for leaking national secrets and for potentially putting President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) life in jeopardy, after he disclosed details concerning the deployment of special agents around the president's official residence.
Peng has since been a frequent guest on TV talk shows, using his professional knowledge. He revealed on air details concerning the deployment of special agents' and other plans regarding national emergencies.
Peng told the public that the Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defense's underground channels would be open on the October 10th National Day, and that two helicopters would be on standby at the Taipei military airport in case of an emergency.
Peng also revealed on TV that he would not "take a bullet for president Chen." Peng is alleged to have leaked the secrets in retaliation after being turned down for promotion. Peng retired as the director of the NSB's special service center in 2003.
Prosecutors have accused Peng of violating the National Secrets Law (國家機密保護辦法).
Peng yesterday told the judge that the NSB and Justice Ministry's Investigation Bureau had illegally recorded his phone calls and that this evidence should be inadmissible in court.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or