The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said it respects the president’s authority while the opposition parties questioned his choices after the Presidential Office announced seven new judicial nominees for the Constitutional Court today.
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang accused the DPP of returning to the era when “justices and prosecutors were one family” by nominating a prosecutor to be the Judicial Yuan president.
“Not that they are bad, but I was thinking about Liu Ching-yi (劉靜怡),” he said, referring to the only nominee the TPP approved during a vote held in the legislature last year when all seven judicial nominees were rejected.
Photo: Chen Cheng-yu, Taipei Times
He questioned whether the nominees would owe “loyalty” to the DPP, unlike Liu, and whether they would be rejected if they criticize the DPP.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would responsibly review the nominees from different perspectives to exercise its constitutional obligations, it said in a statement released today.
As a gatekeeper, the KMT would select impartial and appropriate nominees to be the grand justices to allow the Constitutional Court to resume its normal operations, it said.
The KMT added that the judicial nominees should state clearly whether they support the death penalty and favor imposing heavier penalties on those who are convicted of abusing children.
It would be unfair to criticize the nominees when the relevant documents have not even been sent to the legislature, DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said while commenting on the opposition lawmakers’ response which she described as opposing for the sake of opposition.
The DPP respects the president’s authority, she said, adding that it is the legislature’s duty to scrutinize the nominees.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said while he agreed that it is inappropriate to nominate a prosecutor to be the Judicial Yuan president, he believed Lai had been prudent in nominating these candidates.
It is meaningless to nominate grand justices at the moment because the opposition parties have amended the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法), requiring at least 10 justices on the court and at least nine justices to back any unconstitutional ruling, Ker said.
This is totally unconstitutional and the DPP has requested an injunction and constitutional interpretation of the amendments, he said.
In related news, the Central Election Commission today said it is to hold a hearing to clarify relevant arguments after convening a meeting to discuss a proposal about holding a referendum on amendments to Article 30 of the Constitutional Court Procedure Act.
The question of the proposed referendum is: “Do you agree to abolish amendments to Article 30 of the Constitutional Court Procedure Act which would require at least 10 justices on the court and at least nine justices to back any unconstitutional ruling passed on Dec. 20 last year?”
According to the petition, the proposal was put forward by a volunteer group which said it could not turn a blind eye to the Constitution Court being paralyzed and the principle of separation of powers being violated.
The group made the proposal based on the belief in a democratic constitutional order in a bid to safeguard the constitution and human rights in the nation, it said.
Additional reporting by Shih Hsiao-kuang
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS