National Communications Commission (NCC) Deputy Chairman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) yesterday said that he has recused himself from the review of Mirror News’ application for changes in management and registered capital, after former Mirror News chairman Chen Chien-ping (陳建平) made accusations against him.
“Chen referenced as evidence something I did not do in his letter to the NCC on Monday. As a person who prides himself in having high moral standards, I have recused myself from the review of this application. I recommend that the commission turn over all relevant documents to the Taipei Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office for investigation,” Wong told the commission’s weekly news conference.
Wong refused to divulge the details of Chen’s accusations, saying that he would not comment on a case that is under investigation.
He told reporters that he did not have to recuse himself, as Chen’s accusation has neither been verified nor substantiated by any concrete evidence.
As such, he does not meet the requirement for a recusal as stated in the Administrative Procedure Act (行政程序法) or the NCC’s rules of procedures, he said, adding that he recused himself purely for moral reasons.
Wong further suggested that the NCC’s ethics office investigate whether commission officials have leaked details of the case to the media.
“I have consulted an attorney and am prepared to defend my honor and reputation through legal means,” Wong said.
Meanwhile, the commission decided to continue reviewing Mirror News’ application after examining a written statement from a corporate shareholder, and hearing testimonies from Mirror News chairman Cheng Yu (鄭優) and president Paul Tsai (蔡滄波), who act as proxies of two of the channel’s eight individual shareholders.
The channel’s shareholders and board directors are separate groups of people, the commission said.
Cheng and Tsai answered commissioners’ questions, from the recent resignation of three board directors and one supervisor to whether shareholders have intervened in the operation of the news department, the commission said.
“NCC commissioners would like to hear from the rest of the shareholders, who can either come to the commission or submit a written statement,” NCC Chief Secretary Huang Wen-che (黃文哲) said.
Cheng was asked to promptly submit the names of new shareholders and the new supervisor once the channel holds an interim board meeting today, Huang said.
Cheng denied that any of the channel’s shareholders held stakes on behalf of others, Huang said.
While Wong voluntarily recused himself from the case, NCC Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) did not follow suit.
He also denied coming under pressure from higher authorities to grant Mirror News a broadcasting license in January, as reported by the media.
Commissioners have yet to decide if Chen Yaw-shyang should recuse himself, the NCC said.
Two motions involving Mirror News were passed at the commissioners’ meeting yesterday morning, which would require the NCC’s ethics office to investigate whether commission staff leaked to the media materials related to the channel’s license application, as well as recordings of a telephone conversation between Chen Yaw-shyang and Huang.
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