The Supreme Prosecutors' Office yesterday summoned six former and current legislators for questioning concerning allegations they accepted bribes from an apothecary association.
Those questioned were Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) and Jao Yung-ching (趙永清), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Shu-po (許舒博), former DPP legislators Chiu Chuei-chen (邱垂貞) and Lin Kuang-hua (林光華) and former KMT legislator Liao Fu-peng (廖福本).
"The legislators were summoned for questioning today [yesterday]," Chen Yun-nan (
He said the six were released without bail after questioning.
Prosecutors said the six lawmakers were under investigation concerning allegations that they took bribes from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association 10 years ago.
The bribes are alleged to have been paid to influence the Legislative Yuan to restore members of the association's ability to fill medical prescriptions.
The legislature was reviewing an amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法) at the time.
The association is suspected of paying bribes totaling NT$40 million (US$1.2 million) to the lawmakers in 1997.
Its members regained the right to fill prescriptions the following year.
Prosecutors added that there was a possibility that the funds were political donations.
Former premier Su Tseng-chang (
The Chinese-language Next Magazine alleged that Su took a bribe from a pharmaceutical manufacturer in 1997 in return for using his position to push for passage of an amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act favorable to manufacturers.
The report was published on Jan. 3 and quoted former association president Hsu Ching-sung (徐慶松) as saying that he had given Su NT$100,000.
Chen said that Su had not been summoned for questioning yesterday.
Su has said that the money he received from Hsu Ching-sung was a "regular political donation," given to him when he was running for Taipei County commissioner in 1997.
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
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
RSS