Two individuals from the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Tainan City branch were ordered to be held incommunicado today in a case related to fraudulent signatures in recall campaigns.
KMT Tainan chapter director Chuang Chan-kuei (莊占魁) and a defendant surnamed Liu are currently being held incommunicado.
The recall petitions for Tainan Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) and Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) were found to have 99 and 107 signatures from deceased people, the Election Commission found.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s Tainan chapter
Yesterday, investigators searched several places associated with the KMT in Tainan, seizing party membership lists, cell phones and other evidence while summoning five suspects and related individuals for questioning.
Searched locations include Chuang’s home, the KMT Tainan City branch headquarters and other places.
Chuang and Liu are suspected of violating Articles 216 and 210 of the Criminal Code for forging documents, as well as Articles 20 and 41 of the Personal Data Protection Act (保護法), prosecutors said.
They are suspected of serious crimes and are at risk of destroying evidence and colluding with accomplices, prosecutors said.
Chuang and Liu were arrested this morning in Tainan District Court, while the other three people brought in for questioning were released after the interrogation, prosecutors said.
The Tainan District Court are to decide later whether to grant them bail or order them to continue to be detained.
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said he respects the judiciary but hopes it would not become a political tool deployed to create a chilling effect on society.
Supporters of recall petitions against the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) lawmakers must unite as the DPP is trying to be the dominant party, he said, adding that 14 cases have been sent to the Central Election Commission.
Additional reporting by Liao Hsueh-ju and Fion Khan
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man