New Taipei City Mayor and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) must take up the party’s legal actions against Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), the Supreme Court said yesterday — even though both Chu and the party have said they do not plan to pursue the case.
Wang went to court after the KMT’s Central Evaluation and Discipline Committee rescinded his party membership after allegations were made in September 2013 that he had lobbied for an opposition lawmaker involved in a court case.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), then the KMT chairman, had asked that Wang’s membership be revoked because of the allegations.
The judge in the first trial on Sept. 13 that year approved Wang’s request for a provisional injunction against the KMT, allowing him to hold on to his party membership.
The KMT pursued the case and the second trial upheld the initial ruling. The KMT then asked for arbitration from the Supreme Court.
Wang’s lawyer, Chung Ping-hsien (鍾秉憲), asked the Supreme Court to ascertain whether the KMT wished to continue legal proceedings after Chu became party chairman following Ma’s resignation in the wake of the Nov. 29 nine-in-one elections last year.
Chu announced on Feb. 25 that the KMT would not need to appoint lawyers to continue litigating the Wang case and that the Central Evaluation and Discipline Committee should review its decision.
By law, a plaintiff must be represented by a lawyer in the third tier of judicial procedures, legal sources said yesterday. If Chu did not appoint a lawyer to represent the KMT before the Supreme Court, the court would first send a letter asking for a representative to be appointed, they said, adding that if the plaintiff fails to comply, the judge will then dismiss the proceedings and announce the case closed.
Chung said the KMT must officially notify the court that Chu would not undertake the litigation before the case can be wrapped up.
If the KMT decides to withdraw its appeal or says it will not pursue the case, the Supreme Court would dismiss proceedings, making Wang the victor, Chung said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old