The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday questioned President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) motives in putting Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming’s (黃世銘) resignation on hold for 11 days.
Huang tendered his resignation on March 21, hours after the Taipei District Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 14 months in prison for leaking confidential information to Ma about a controversial probe into claims of undue influence on the judiciary involving Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) in September last year.
“It has been 11 days and Ma has not approved Huang Shih-ming’s resignation. We would like to know whether Ma is trying to evade his responsibility in the case or to cover up Huang Shih-ming’s crime,” DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) told a news conference.
Since Huang’s four-year tenure expires on April 18, he would likely be able to serve out his full term and “honorably retire” if his resignation is not approved by that time, Lin said.
Huang Yueh-hong (黃越宏), a former journalist, yesterday filed a lawsuit at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office against Ma and the prosecutor-general, saying that Ma’s inaction in approving the resignation would allow Huang Shih-ming to keep receiving a salary and supervising prosecutors around the country.
Ma approved the resignation of former prosecutor-general Chen Tsung-ming (陳聰明), who also resigned before his term expired over a political controversy, on the same day Chen announced his resignation, Huang Yueh-hong said.
Since Huang Shih-ming has publicly announced his resignation, he should not be allowed to continue supervising prosecutors and receiving a salary and special allowance, Huang Yueh-hong said.
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