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Presidential Office urges public to be objective in evaluating `scandal' suit

"President Chen Shui-bian's resolution to follow Taiwan's Constitution and promote democracy and law and order [in the nation] has not changed. He also respects freedom of the press."

an official with the Presidential Office's Department of Public Affairs

The Presidential Office yesterday urged the public to remain objective in viewing the allegations against the first family before the court makes a final decision on the case.

"President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) resolution to follow Taiwan's Constitution and promote democracy and law and order [in the nation] has not changed. He also respects freedom of the press," said an official with the Presidential Office's Department of Public Affairs.

"The public should be objective in evaluating the charges until a verdict is made," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The remarks came in response to an article in the latest online edition of Time magazine, which listed a series of corruption allegations made against the first family over the past year among the top 10 scandals in its report called "Scandals of the Year."

Calling the accusations "Trouble in Taiwan," the article said Chen had been caught in trouble since he survived the "319" shooting on the eve of the presidential election two years ago.

The "troubles" listed in the article included Chen's alleged involvement and the indictment of first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) in the "state affairs fund" case last month.

Wu and three presidential aides were charged with corruption and forgery, but Chen escaped prosecution because he enjoyed presidential immunity, although prosecutors said they had enough evidence to bring him to trial.

The sentencing of Chen's son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘) to six years in prison for insider trading in the Taiwan Development Corp scandal on Wednesday was also considered a "trouble" for Chen in the article.

The "Trouble in Taiwan" was one of the only two scandals occurring outside the US that were included in the Time article.

The other non-US scandal that made it to the magazine's top 10 list was the rape charges against Israeli President Moshe Katsav brought by several women in October.
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