President Chen Shui-bian (
Lawyer Wellington Koo (顧立雄) filed the civil suit with the Taipei District Court yesterday on behalf of Chen. Instead of seeking financial compensation, Chen is demanding publication of the court's verdict and a public apology from the three defendants: People First Party (PFP) legislators Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄), Tsai Chung-han (蔡中涵) and UFO Radio chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康).
"President Chen regards his reputation as more important than any restitution that could be paid in cash," so he wants the defendants to publish the court verdict and an apology in five local Chinese-languages newspapers: the United Daily News, the China Times, the Liberty Times, the Taiwan Daily and the Apple Daily -- for three consecutive days, said Koo.
Liu and Tsai on Wednesday held a news conference, during which they charged that Chen had presented a check for US$1 million to Moscoso as a birthday gift and as a "settlement fee" for Chen's "improper dealings."
The two legislators said their allegation was based on comments made by Jaw in a recent radio show. Jaw, when pressed by the media on Wednesday for the source of his comments, said he obtained the information from a story posted on the Global Times Web site, a weekly newsletter issued by China's state-run People's Daily.
"The trio severely defamed President Chen's reputation by quoting unfounded information, which they found on a Chinese Web site," said Koo. "They did not make any effort to verify [the information], but indiscriminately spread it."
This is the first time in Taiwan's history that the president has filed a lawsuit against legislators.
Following Koo's trip to the Taipei District Court, Presidential Office Secretary-General Su Tseng-chang (
Noting Taiwan's difficult diplomatic situations, Su said he felt "chilled to the heart" that there are a few "unworthy politicians" who would side with Beijing, which is known for its animosity toward Taiwan and its incessant efforts to marginalize Taiwan's international space by undermining Taiwan's diplomatic ties with its allies.
"It also makes one feels chilled to the heart that there are political parties, politicians and media outlets so unworthy as to smear not just their own president, but also the head of state of one of our diplomatic allies," Su said, adding that the indecent allegation made by the two PFP legislators on the friendship between Chen and Moscoso is a "great humiliation to women" and that the allegation had also hurt the feelings of the people of both Taiwan and Panama.
Meanwhile, Agence France Presse reported that Moscoso on Wednesday denied that she received US$1 million as a "birthday gift" from Chen.
"I never received a check for any amount as a birthday gift from the president of the Republic of China in Taiwan, as claimed by opposition legislators in that country," Moscoso said in a statement.
"It's a pity that the aid nations like Panama receive from sister countries like the Republic of China in Taiwan, to help us fight poverty, and extreme poverty, could be affected by such baseless claims, which obviously aim to damage the sisterhood that unites our two peoples," she said.
Also See Story:
PFP legislative duo, Jaw unfazed by suit
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
MAKING PROGRESS: Officials and industry leaders who participated in a defense forum last month agreed that Taiwan has the capabilities to work with the US, the report said Taiwan’s high-tech defense industry is to enhance collaboration with the US to produce weapons needed for self-defense, the Ministry of National Defense said in a report to the Legislative Yuan. Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞) discussed building regional and global industry alliances with US partners at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Philadelphia held from Sept. 22 to Tuesday last week, the ministry said in the declassified portion of the report. The visit contributed to maintaining bilateral ties, facilitated Taiwan’s efforts to acquire weapons and equipment, and strengthened the resilience of the two nation’s defense industries, it said. Taiwan-US ties
CONCERNS: Allowing the government, political parties or the military to own up to 10 percent of a large media firm is a risk Taiwan cannot afford to take, a lawyer said A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator has proposed amendments to allow the government, political parties and the military to indirectly invest in broadcast media, prompting concerns of potential political interference. Under Article 1 of the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the government and political parties — as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them — cannot directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. A similar regulation is in the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法). “The purpose of banning the government, political parties and the military from investing in the media is to prevent them from interfering
RSS