The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Yilan County chapter was searched yesterday and at least three staffers were taken in for questioning, in an investigation that local media reported is in relation to recall petition fraud.
Prosecutors are reportedly investigating fraudulent petition signatures in a recall campaign against Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Chun-yu (陳俊宇).
More than 40 signatures were from deceased people and more than 10 signatures were forged, sources familiar with the matter said.
Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times
The case was to be transferred to the Yilan District Prosecutors’ Office for further investigation of suspected document forgery and contraventions of the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法), local media reported.
Prosecutors yesterday also searched the residence of the recall campaign leader, Lee Hui-ling (李惠玲), who was then taken in for questioning.
Prosecutors took away a box of documents and brought in two other staffers, surnamed Lee (李) and Wang (汪), for questioning at about 12:30pm.
Others involved in the recall campaign were also summoned for questioning and their residences were searched.
KMT Yilan County chapter director Lin Ming-chang (林明昌) was not summoned for questioning.
KMT Yilan County Councilor Joy Huang (黃琤婷) criticized prosecutors, saying that it was not an investigation, but suppression and political persecution.
Judicial interference and political intimidation are concerning, she said, adding that people are entitled to recall politicians by the Constitution, which is the foundation of the nation’s democracy.
Chen in a statement said that he respects the public’s right to recall politicians and is willing to communicate with voters in Yilan County, adding that forging and using signatures of deceased people is not a civil rights, but trampling on the democratic system.
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