The Taiwan High Court yesterday found four former lawmakers guilty in a third trial for accepting bribes from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association.
Three former lawmakers, who were found guilty in the second trial of the case by the Taiwan High Court, were found not guilty in the same ruling.
In yesterday’s ruling, former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chiu Chui-chen (邱垂貞) was sentenced to 10 years in jail, his civil rights were suspended for eight years and he was ordered to return NT$10 million (US$300,000).
Former DPP legislator Lin Kuang-hua (林光華) was sentenced to eight years imprisonment and his civil rights were suspended for five years. Lin was ordered to return NT$2 million.
Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Hsu Shu-po (許舒博) was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, and his civil rights were suspended for four years. He was ordered to return NT$1 million.
Former People First Party legislator Feng Ting-kuo (馮定國) was sentenced to seven years and two months in prison, with a suspension of civil rights for three years, and he was ordered to return NT$450,000.
Former DPP legislator Jao Yung-ching (趙永清), former DPP legislator Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) and former KMT legislator Cheng Horng-chi (陳鴻基) were found not guilty because of insufficient evidence to show that they had accepted bribes.
The court threw out charges against former KMT legislator Liao Fu-peng (廖福本), who was found guilty in the second trial, because he has passed away.
All seven defendants can appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
According to the verdict, the four former legislators accepted bribes from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association in 1996 in return for their endorsement of an amendment to Article 103 of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法) that would restore the right of herbalists to issue medical prescriptions.
The association paid a total of NT$40 million to the lawmakers under the guise of “sponsor funds,” the ruling said.
The amendment was passed in May 1998.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
RSS