Public prosecutors have launched an investigation into claims that New Taipei City firefighters have been taking bribes from funeral service proprietors.
Two firefighters were denied bail and put in judicial detention on Friday, while six others were questioned and later released on bail ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$300,000 (US$1,597 to US$9,583), the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said
In Taiwan, ambulance services transporting people to hospital experiencing cardiac arrest, life-threatening situations or serious injuries are handled by local fire department stations, as firefighters are front-line workers in medical emergencies alongside their responsibilities in fighting fires.
Photo: Wang Ting-chuan, Taipei Times
Tip-offs claimed that some firefighters and police officers obtained the personal information — including the names, telephone numbers and home addresses — of families whose family members had just experienced a medical emergency, passing on this personal information to proprietors in the funeral service industry, such as traditional Taoist or Buddhist organizations, and designated practitioners that conduct ritualized ceremonies.
New Taipei City prosecutors and the Ministry of Justice’s Agency Against Corruption conducted a preliminary investigation after receiving the tipoffs last year, before carrying out raids in three phases starting last month.
The raids took place at fire stations in New Taipei City Fire Department’s Second Corps Office in Sinjhuang (新莊), Shulin (樹林) and Taishan (泰山) districts, questioning firefighter officers on suspicion of taking bribes — contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), as firefighters are government-sector employees and could be charged with corruption.
Firefighters Chen Cheng-hui (陳晟輝) and Chang Yu-che (張育哲) were detained on restricted communication after questioning on Friday.
Agency Against Corruption officials said that the firefighters leaked the private information of affected families to funeral service proprietors in return for NT$5,000 to NT$15,000 per case. Some were suspected of having received more than NT$200,000 over the years.
The investigation found that some firefighters had obtained the name and contact information of patients or those who passed away, and allegedly passed the information via Line or other messaging platforms to funeral proprietors, for the funeral service firms to immediately dispatch their staff to the scene or home address to promote their funeral services.
Prosecutors alleged that the firefighters would immediately receive NT$5,000 as a commission if a funeral home had signed an agreement with the family, and others involved in the process would also receive NT$2,000.
Ministry of the Interior data from 2017 showed that regular funeral services cost about NT$250,000 to NT$400,000. Low-income families who cannot afford it can apply for a state subsidy of NT$23,000 for a funeral at their local government’s social affairs department on presentation of an official death certificate.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
RSS