Shih Ming-teh (施明德), who initiated a campaign in 2006 calling on then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to step down, yesterday said he would press charges against four individuals and a media outlet for accusing him of pocketing leftover funds from the campaign.
A total of NT$111 million (US$3.26 million) was donated to the campaign, which he launched in August 2006.
At the time, Shih called on the public to donate NT$100 each to support the campaign against corruption.
The campaign’s deputy, Yao Li-min (姚立明), told a press conference yesterday that the leftover campaign funds were donated to five charity groups, including the Eden Social Welfare Foundation, the Genesis Foundation and the United Way of Taiwan, adding that two other independent organizations had overseen the donation process.
He offered no further details.
Shih said a defamation lawsuit was necessary to protect his reputation.
He said he would file the charges against former presidential adviser Ellen Huang (黃越綏), Tainan City Councilor Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Chthonic lead vocalist Freddy Lim (林昶佐), Control Yuan member Chien Lin Hui-chien (錢林慧君) and Scoop Weekly magazine.
Shih said he would seek NT$10 million in damages from each of the four individuals and NT$20 million from the magazine as well as a half-page apology to be published in four major newspapers.
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