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Chen Shui-bian threatens to sue the ‘China Times’

Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday threatened to sue the China Times and a man who placed an ad on the front page of the Chinese-language newspaper accusing him of embezzlement.

Chen’s office issued a statement criticizing the man, who identified himself as Chen Mao-zong (陳茂宗), for making “apparently erroneous” claims about the former president. The office also berated the China Times for printing the ad.

In yesterday’s ad, Chen Mao-zong alleged that the former president pocketed trillions of NT dollars over the years, both during his stint as Taipei mayor and as president.

Chen Shui-bian’s office said he had not pocketed any money when he was mayor nor did the central government give the city government NT$170 billion (US$5.1 billion) per year for infrastructure projects as the ad claimed.

The statement also dismissed Chen Mao-zong’s accusation that the former president used part of the money to reward government officials and staffers after he became president, saying a president could not access a city government’s funds.

Chen Mao-zong alleged that Chen Shui-bian used a checkbook that belonged to the president of the Republic of China (ROC) to hollow out the country’s foreign reserves, but the statement said the ROC president has never had a checkbook and that a president could not use the foreign reserves.

The statement also denied that Chen Shui-bian had deposited money in nations that are diplomatic allies, as the ad alleged.

Commenting on the allegations against former president Chen and his family, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday emphasized the importance of the due process of law and said prosecutors must not violate human rights or break the law.
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