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Chen Chu braces for court decision on election next week

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said yesterday she was psychologically prepared to face and deal with the Taiwan High Court's final decision on her appeal against a ruling to annul last December's Kaohsiung mayoral election.

"The final result could be good or bad, but I must accept all possibilities," Chen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) told the media before a question-and-answer session at Kaohsiung City Council.

"However, I can assure everyone that I have the courage to face all consequences," Chen said.

The Kaohsiung District Court on June 15 ruled in favor of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) mayoral candidate Huang Chun-ying (黃俊英), who had accused Chen of violating campaign regulations and asked that her victory be annulled.

The district court annulled the result of the December election, requiring that another election be held.

Chen then filed an appeal to Taiwan High Court's Kaohsiung branch.

Based on the Election and Recall Law of Civil Servants (公職人員選舉罷免法), the high court must hand down its verdict before Dec. 15.

The verdict in the second trial is not subject to appeal, and Chen cannot join any by-election if she loses.

Chen said yesterday that her lawyers assured her she was unlikely to lose the appeal, adding that she had faith in the nation's judicial system.

She also admitted that the uncertainty surrounding the case had greatly affected her efforts to push municipal construction in Kaohsiung after assuming office last December.

When fielding questions from Kaohsiung City Councilor Wu Yi-cheng (吳益政) of the People First Party, Chen said she was ready for the court's decision, adding that no other blow could compare to the shock she felt when she became the only person who was sentenced to death in the Kaohsiung Incident in 1979.

Chen was arrested in the anti-government demonstration organized by Formosa Magazine, along with many other democracy activists.

The military court sentenced her to death but she was later freed after being imprisoned from 1980 to 1986.

Chen said she had peace of mind, adding that if she lost the appeal, she would do her best to campaign for any candidate the DPP nominates for the mayoral by-election.

Meanwhile, Tsai Chun-chang (蔡俊章), director-general of Kaohsiung City's Police Bureau, promised during the question-and-answer session that the police bureau would deploy barricades around the high court and the city government office starting next Wednesday to guard against potential unrest.
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