The Shihlin Dictrict Court confirmed yesterday that it had opened an investigation into the alleged rape of a Filipina housekeeper by former New Party Legislator Elmer Fung (
The New Party suspended Fung's membership yesterday over the allegations.
New Party official Lu Jui-chung (
Lu made the remarks after an advocacy group for the rights of foreign laborers accused Fung of sexually assaulting a Filipina housekeeper at his home last month and then sending her back to the Philippines after paying her to keep silent.
Fung responded that he was set up by his rivals, who incited the woman to make the allegations against him. He said the housekeeper bore grievances against him for other reasons, which was why she had accused him of rape.
According to the International Labor Association (
The woman, identified only as Rose, returned to the Philippines on Jan. 29 after reporting the incident to the police.
Chen Su-hsiung (陳素香), chairwoman of the association, said that Rose's medical examination conducted at Mackay Memorial Hospital showed that her maidenhead had recently been ruptured.
Rose was then accompanied by officials of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office to report the incident to the police. She was taken to a temporary shelter on Jan. 24, Chen said.
"Rose told me that Fung's wife and lawyer told her that she had only two choices. One was to fight a legal battle, which they said could land her in jail if she lost. They said her second choice was to reach an out-of-court settlement, and then take the money, go home and start a new life," Chen said.
In a bid to hide the crime and evade punishment, Chen said that Fung sent Rose back to the Philippines six days after the incident.
Fung, however, denied the allegation and said that the accusation was politically motivated.
"It is impossible for me to rape this woman because my whole family was at home on the day of the alleged assault," Fung told a TV reporter. "Besides, if it was indeed a sexual assault, there should've been bruises or cuts. Why wasn't there any?"
Fung said that he was sorry to see the Democratic Progressive Party use such an underhand tactic to prevent him from helping the pan-blue camp's election campaign.
Fung is currently leading a group of students on a visit to China.
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