Following the confirmation of his jail sentence on Wednesday over his abuse of taxpayers’ money, Non-Partisan Solidarity Union Legislator Yen Ching-piao (顏清標) yesterday vowed to appeal as he proclaimed his innocence and announced that his son would run in the legislative by-election being held to fill his post.
Yen, chairman of Chenlan Temple in Greater Taichung, denies abusing his authority as former Taichung County Council speaker and spending millions of dollars at hostess bars and KTV lounges. He pledged to prove his innocence in the courts and said that his son, Yen Kuan-hen (顏寬恆), would participate in the legislative by-election in Greater Taichung.
“I did not abuse my position and I deeply regret the ruling of the Supreme Court. I will prove my innocence through legal procedures,” he told a press conference at the temple.
Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times
Yen Kuan-hen, who accompanied his father at the press conference, promised to devote his efforts to serve local residents.
The Supreme Court found that Yen Ching-piao and Greater Tai-chung Council Speaker Chang Ching-tang (張清堂), an independent, guilty of misusing council funds between 1998 and 2000. It said they spent more than NT$20 million (US$686,600) of council money on their expenses at hostess bars and KTV lounges in then-Taichung City.
The court sentenced Yen Ching-piao to a three-and-half-year prison sentence and his status as a lawmaker will be stripped when the Ministry of the Interior receives written confirmation of the sentence from the court.
Although Yen and Chang are independent politicians, they are deemed close to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and their imprisonment could have an impact on the political makeup of Greater Taichung. Two by-elections are to be held to fill Yen’s legislative seat and Chang’s seat on the council.
KMT spokesman Yin Wei (殷瑋) said yesterday the party would discuss the matter with its local branch before presenting its candidates to run in the by-elections, declining to comment further.
Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) visited Chang at his home yesterday morning, and said both Chang and Yen Ching-piao had made great contributions to local development in Greater Taichung over the years.
“They have enjoyed great grassroots support in Taichung and made contributions to local development. I believe they will face the verdicts candidly and honesty,” Hu said, declining to comment on the impact of the sentences on local politics.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS