The justice and interior ministries said yesterday that they would look into the PFP's role in the disclosure of details of secret accounts at the National Security Bureau (NSB).
Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) said he would forward to prosecutors documents given to him by TSU lawmakers. Prosecutors will then decide if there's enough evidence to justify a search of the PFP's headquarters.
Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) said a meeting would be held next week to determine whether the PFP's behavior in the scandal warrants punishment.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The China Times and Next magazine reported last week that during former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) time in office, the NSB had set up two secret accounts, worth NT$3.5 billion, that were beyond legislative supervision.
The revelations have sparked a war of words between TSU and PFP legislators. Both parties have come out in defense of their leaders, PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and the TSU's guru, Lee.
The reports in the China Times and Next referred to the two secret NSB accounts as Lee's "private stash." The reports cited information believed to have been provided by the bureau's former chief cashier, Colonel Liu Kuan-chun (
Critics have said the revelations have undermined the nation's diplomatic ties as well as information-gathering efforts in China and elsewhere.
The TSU has accused Soong of masterminding the revelations in an effort to undermine Lee.
Eight TSU lawmakers met with Chen yesterday to provide what they said was "solid evidence" to prove that the PFP had disseminated information about the secret accounts. They said they believe the PFP is still in possession of a large number of confidential documents provided by Liu.
PFP lawmakers said last week they were in possession of documents related to the NSB accounts. They said they turned over all of their documents to the Control Yuan -- the country's top watchdog body -- for investigation.
TSU legislative whip Hsu Deng-koun (許登宮) said he hoped PFP lawmakers would explain how they obtained the documents. He said investigators should search the PFP's headquarters if an explanation was not forthcoming.
TSU lawmakers yesterday said they have several reasons to believe the PFP distributed documents about the NSB's accounts.
They noted that Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀), director of the PFP's Policy Research Center, is a former official with the National Security Council -- which oversees the NSB.
They also cast suspicion on Hsieh Chung-liang (謝忠良), the reporter who wrote Next's cover story and the younger brother of PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉). The TSU lawmakers said Hsieh has frequently visited China.
They also claim Soong contacted Liu during a recent trip to the US.
Calling the PFP a "pro-unification party," Hsu accused it of attempting to topple the government and said "the PFP and Beijing share the same purposes."
PFP Legislator Diane Lee (
Other PFP lawmakers said the TSU should provide the evidence to back up its accusations.
Meanwhile, DPP and TSU law-makers presented a petition to the Ministry of the Interior yesterday, calling for an investigation into whether the PFP violated the Constitution.
Under Article 5 of the Constitution, a party would violate the Constitution if its goals or activities endanger the existence of the country or the nation's free and democratic constitutional order.
DPP Legislator Susan Su (蘇治芬) said an investigation into the PFP's actions was warranted because it has undermined national security.
According to the law governing organizations, authorities can issue warnings, demand a group to improve within a set period of time or disband a group if it is found to have broken the law.
AIR DEFENSE: The Norwegian missile system has proved highly effective in Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the US has recommended it for Taiwan, an expert said The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Taiwan ordered from the US would be installed in strategically important positions in Taipei and New Taipei City to guard the region, the Ministry of National Defense said in statement yesterday. The air defense system would be deployed in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山) and New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), the ministry said, adding that the systems could be delivered as soon as the end of this year. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has previously said that three NASAMS would be sold to Taiwan. The weapons are part of the 17th US arms sale to
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The suspects formed spy networks and paramilitary groups to kill government officials during a possible Chinese invasion, prosecutors said Prosecutors have indicted seven retired military officers, members of the Rehabilitation Alliance Party, for allegedly obtaining funds from China, and forming paramilitary groups and assassination squads in Taiwan to collaborate with Chinese troops in a possible war. The suspects contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) by taking photos and drawing maps of key radar stations, missile installations and the American Institute in Taiwan’s headquarters in Taipei, prosecutors said. They allegedly prepared to collaborate with China during a possible invasion of Taiwan, prosecutors said. Retired military officer Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), 62, a Republic of China Army Academy graduate, went to China
INSURRECTION: The NSB said it found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday. In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies. Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information
BREAKTHROUGH: The US is making chips on par in yield and quality with Taiwan, despite people saying that it could not happen, the official said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has begun producing advanced 4-nanometer (nm) chips for US customers in Arizona, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, a milestone in the semiconductor efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden. In November last year, the commerce department finalized a US$6.6 billion grant to TSMC’s US unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. “For the first time ever in our country’s history, we are making leading edge 4-nanometer chips on American soil, American workers — on par in yield and quality with Taiwan,” Raimondo said, adding that production had begun in recent
RSS