Blamed for failure to stop Chen Shui-bian's confidant from fleeing

TAIPEI: Prosecutor-General Chen Tsung-ming has offered to resign after the watchdog Control Yuan passed a motion to impeach him earlier in the day for dereliction of official duty and lack of integrity, "Justice Minister" Wang Ching-feng said yesterday.

According to Wang, Chen tendered a letter of resignation shortly after the Control Yuan impeached him and asked the responsible government agency to mete out its punishment as soon as possible.

Wang said Chen's resignation letter has been forwarded to the Executive Yuan for submission to "President" Ma Ying-jeou for approval.

The motion to impeach Chen cleared the supreme watchdog body by a vote of 8-3.

It was the second bid by Control Yuan members Li Ful-dien and Chien-Lin Whei-jun to pass the motion, after their first bid failed to gain a majority vote in the Control Yuan on January 5.

Chen was impeached over his association with Huang Fang-yen, a close friend of former "president" Chen Shui-bian.

According to the findings of the Control Yuan's probe, Chen Tsung-ming attended a dinner party hosted by Huang Fan-yen on February 26, 2007.

Huang fled Taiwan in November 2008, before prosecutors could question him in connection with the charges of money laundering against former "president" Chen Shui-bian, and was later listed by prosecutors as a defendant and a fugitive in the Chen Shui-bian case in March 2009.

It was suggested in the local media that, before Huang fled Taiwan, he had been tipped off by Chen Tsung-ming, but the latter denied the allegation.

However, the Control Yuan faulted Chen Tsung-ming for failing to take precautions against Huang's fleeing Taiwan.

The Control Yuan also criticized the prosecutor for meeting with a builder, Tsai Chu-hsiung, who is a friend of Chen Shui-bian and a witness in the case against the former leader.

In a separate decision, the Control Yuan asked the "Ministry of Justice" to take "urgent action" against the prosecutor general, meaning that he should be removed from his post before his term expires in 2011.

The impeachment case will be heard by the Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries, which will decide whether Chen Tsung-ming should be reprimanded or dismissed.

Chen Tsung-ming, who was nominated by Chen Shui-bian and approved by the Legislative Yuan as Taiwan's top prosecutor for a four-year term, took office on January 24, 2007.

Since learning of the efforts to impeach him, he has maintained that he is innocent of the allegations against him.

"Everything I have done in the execution of my duties can stand up to public scrutiny." he said calmly.

Wang Ching-feng declined to comment on the Control Yuan's request for urgent action against Chen Tsung-ming, saying only that the impeachment has tarnished the image of the prosecutor's office, her "ministry" and even the Executive Yuan.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 01/20/2010 page2)