Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) accused a judge of being former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) defense attorney as the second trial over alleged breach of confidence by Ma began yesterday.
Ker said that the judge in the first trial should not have ruled in Ma’s favor in the case, which stems from Ker’s accusation that Ma breached judicial independence by instructing then-prosecutor general Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘) to provide information regarding an ongoing investigation.
The investigation, conducted by the now-defunct Special Investigation Division, was probing allegations that Ker and then-legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) were involved in improper use of influence.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Ma is accused of soliciting Huang to break confidentiality when the former president invited him to the presidential residence on Sept. 1, 2013, to report on the investigation, Ker’s lawyer Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) said.
Ker said the judge’s explanation of the March 28 verdict was untenable.
Ker said Ma’s guilt was evident, but he was acquitted because there was no audio recording of him giving the order.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
The verdict of the second trial will be final.
Ma is also accused of a second count of soliciting a breach in confidentiality by asking Huang Shih-ming on Sept. 4, 2013, to brief Jiang on the investigation, Huang Di-ying said.
The two cases have been divided into separate suits, with the Sept. 1, 2013, incident sparking a lawsuit by Ker, while the Sept. 4, 2013, incident prompted a public prosecution by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office.
The Taiwan High Court sentenced Huang Shih-ming to one year and three months in prison in February 2015 for breach of confidentiality, which was commuted into a fine of NT$457,000.
Ma was summoned to stand trial this year, as he had immunity against prosecution during his time as president.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS