Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawyers on Thursday accused Legislative Yuan officials of a dereliction of duty and holding the legislature in contempt after they failed to attend a hearing on Chinese espionage.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) vowed to take the officials to court over alleged contraventions of the Criminal Code.
DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄), convener of the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, on Thursday summoned Legislative Yuan Secretary-General Chester Chou (周萬來), Kao Pai-hsiang (高百祥), who heads the Conference Department, and Kuo Ming-cheng (郭明政), head of the Organics Laws and Statutes Bureau, to answer questions at a committee meeting on measures to prevent the legislature from being infiltrated by Chinese spies.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Their failure to attend was a deliberate misinterpretation of regulations, Chuang said.
That they did not take a leave of absence or provide the committee with a report underscores how Chou and others flouted the law, were derelict in their duties and held the legislature in contempt, he added.
DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said that Ker would take the three to court over alleged contraventions of Article 130 of the Criminal Code.
The three were obligated to ensure the neutral, just and legal operations of the legislature, but they knowingly flouted the law and abetted measures to paralyze democratic discussions, Wu said.
Regardless of whether public officials are listed for disciplinary measures or taken to court, the action is not directed at the people being taken to court or disciplined, but rather is to uphold democratic rule within the legislature, she said.
The Legislative Yuan on Monday said that its officials and staff assist lawmakers in carrying out their oversight functions, but do not answer to them and therefore should not be summoned to answer questions at committee meetings.
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) told committee conveners and legislative caucuses that summoning the secretary-general or department heads should be done according to Article 2 of the Organic Legislative Committees Act (立法院各委員會組織法).
Article 2 states that legislative committees may invite officials from agencies to present reports at the start of the legislative sessions.
As per the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法), lawmakers should report to the legislature on Feb. 1 and Sept. 1, and the start of the legislative session is announced following cross-caucus negotiations.
The meetings that the committee arranged this week exceeded its legal mandate, and the secretary-general and other officials should not attend them, the Legislative Yuan said.
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