Former representatives to the Philippines and Thailand faced disciplinary action after the government said that sexual harassment allegations against them were credible, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Former representative to the Philippines Michael Hsu (徐佩勇) was given a major demerit after the ministry’s sexual harassment complaint review committee found that an allegation against him from his tenure in Manila was credible, ministry spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) said.
A major demerit generally affects a career diplomat’s year-end bonuses.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The committee also found a similar allegation against former representative to Thailand Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) to be credible, but the ministry could not discipline him directly, as he was a political appointee rather than a career diplomat, Liu added.
Instead, Chuang’s case is to be referred to the Control Yuan, which is responsible for investigating and censuring illegal or negligent acts by public servants or agencies, Liu said.
Hsu, who became representative to the Philippines in June 2018, was recalled shortly after the ministry learned about the accusation against him in April, the ministry previously said.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
According to an online forum post that was uploaded prior to the recall, Hsu allegedly inappropriately hugged and kissed his Filipina secretary, who started working at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines last year.
Hsu, through his lawyer, has denied the accusations.
His position has since been filled by Wallace Chow (周民淦), former head of the ministry’s Department of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, while Hsu now works at the ministry’s Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs in Taipei.
Chuang, who was Taiwan’s top envoy to Bangkok from June last year to June this year, allegedly held his female secretary’s hands tightly during a car ride to northern Thailand in December last year while on a business trip.
He also allegedly asked her to meet him in his hotel room during the trip, but she declined, local media reports said.
The secretary later reported the incident to the representative office, which ultimately led to Chuang’s resignation.
Chuang has denied engaging in sexual harassment.
Chuang’s position has been filled by former representative to Myanmar Chang Chun-fu (張俊福).
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