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.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS