Political figures alleged to have been involved bribe-taking related to the freeway electronic toll collection (ETC) contract -- including a lawmaker who accused fellow legislators of receiving sexual services from the contract-winning company -- yesterday staked their political lives on their innocence.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wei Ming-ku (
Yesterday during the meeting of the legislature's Transportation Committee, DPP Legislator Kuo Wen-chen (
PHOTO: CNA
Kuo's remarks incurred the wrath of independent Legislator Chen Chin-ting (
While Kuo responded by asking why Chen had declared his innocence when he had not yet specifically named anyone, other committee members suddenly proclaimed their innocence, saying that they had not taken any illicit money in connection with the ETC case.
DPP Legislator Wang Tuo (
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Tseng Yung-chuan (
Wei accused Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
"Nobody ever asked me to help secure the bid, nor did I ever contact any ETC bid committee members. There is no way that I was involved in this case," Wang told a press conference yesterday.
Cho, who quit as a legislator after winning the Changhua County commissioner election last December, told the press that he would quit his commissioner's post and withdraw from politics if he was found guilty of any involvement in corruption.
"I will quit my job and never participate in politics again," Wei told a press conference.
"As a legislator, didn't I have a duty to report illegal conduct of government officials in the legislature?" Wei asked.
Wei said that the KMT caucus should demand the government step up the investigation into the ETC case rather than ask him to resign.
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