Pan-blue legislators yesterday urged prosecutors to subpoena first lady Wu Shu-jen (
The opposition made the appeal following reports yesterday in the Chinese-language media, including the United Daily News and the China Times that the first family's doctor Huang Fang-yen (黃芳彥) told prosecutors he had received NT$1 million (US$30,835) Sogo vouchers from Pacific Distribution Investment Co Chairman Lee Heng-lung (
Taipei District Prosecutors' Office spokesman Lin Pang-liang (林邦樑) yesterday denied the reports.
"I hope the media will not keep speculating during an ongoing investigation," Lin told a press conference yesterday.
Lee declined to comment more on the reports when mobbed by the press in front of the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office.
But the prosecutors' office dismissal didn't stop pan-blue legislators from commenting on the issue.
"Huang's testimony demonstrates that Wu's Sogo vouchers were from Lee. As far as I know, Huang kept NT$200,000 [worth of vouchers], and gave NT$800,000 to the first lady," said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅), who has led the charge against Wu.
Chiu and other pan-blue camp figures have accused the first lady of influence-peddling, by improperly receiving a large amount of Pacific Sogo Department Stores Co gift vouchers and intervening in the transfer of the store's ownership. No evidence has been produced to back up those allegations.
President Chen Shui-bian (
Chiu said yesterday that while Wu might not have accepted Sogo vouchers "directly" from Lee Heng-lung, she received them from Lee Heng-lung "indirectly."
People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lee Hung-chun (
"Prosecutors shouldn't be soft-hearted about this thing, even though a message was leaked that the first lady is in poor condition," said the PFP legislator at a press conference yesterday.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (王世堅) said that he would only agree that Wu should be subpoenaed if her health allows.
Wang asked pan-blue legislators not to make fun of Wu's health. Wu's weight has reportedly dropped to less than 29 kilograms in recent days.
"I suggested to the President Office to consider briefing [the public about] the first lady's health regularly, lest pan-blues criticize the first lady for playing tricks and attempting to win sympathy by intentionally injuring herself," Wang said.
Additional reporting by Rich Chang
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