Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
Chao was referring to the Yu Huang Temple (
Hsieh was accused of accepting NT$2.8 million (US$84,850) from Hsu Wen-liang (
Hsieh told the media last week that his support group had received the donation from the temple in Kaohsiung's Samin District, in 2003 but later returned the money to the temple because it feared the donation might be "controversial."
The temple later insisted on giving the money back to his support group, Hsieh said, so he decided to spend the money on buying two ambulances -- Yu Huang 1 and Yu Huang 2, which are still in use in Kaohsiung.
Chao yesterday said Hsieh was worried that the documents -- which members of the Special Investigation Task Force took from Kaohsiung City government agencies last Tuesday -- could be lost or destroyed as the investigation continues and in the event of personnel changes in the task force.
To protect evidence that could be helpful to him, Hsieh wanted the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to guarantee the safety of the files, Chao said.
A lawyer filed the request on behalf of Hsieh yesterday. The task force is required by law to provide an answer to Hsieh's appeal within five days.
Chao yesterday also expressed "regret" that the task force had chosen this time to reopen the investigation and said that he hoped evidence helpful to Hsieh would not be destroyed or concealed for political reasons or be used by "certain people" to attack him.
Chao added that former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (

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