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Taiwan’s President May Face Charges
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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 3, 2006
Filed at 6:08 a.m. ET
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Prosecutors said Friday they have enough evidence to
indict Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian on corruption charges in connection
with his handling of a secret diplomatic fund, increasing the pressure on him
to resign.
There is a strong possibility that Chen will be indicted after he leaves
office, said Chang Wen-cheng of the Taiwan High Prosecutors' Office. Under
Taiwanese law a sitting president cannot be indicted other than on charges of
sedition.
The announcement came after a monthslong investigation into the presidential
office's handling of the fund, which is used to sustain diplomatic efforts
abroad.
Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen, and three former presidential aides were indicted
on charges of embezzlement, forgery of documents and perjury in connection
with the case, Chang said. He said that between 2002 and 2006, Wu took
$450,000 in fund expenses not covered by receipts.
Underlining the gravity of the situation, presidential office spokesman David
Lee said that Vice President Annette Lu had been called to Taipei from a trip
to the outlying island of Penghu. Lu would replace Chen were he to leave
office before his term ends in May 2008. Lee would not comment further.
Chen has been defensive for months over a number of corruption allegations
involving his family and inner circle. He has maintained his innocence.
Late Friday, a small party allied with the president said it would support a
motion to call a recall referendum against the president if it came up in the
legislature. Although the Taiwan Solidarity Union's decision was a blow for
Chen, it does not have enough seats to give recall supporters the two-thirds
majority needed for the motion
Opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalist Party called on Chen to
resign without delay.
''He has lost the people's trust and respect, and as he is burdened with
scandals, he can no longer lead the people nor effectively represent the
country,'' Ma said. ''We urge him to resign as soon as possible.''
Lawmakers from Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party said they would
meet on Friday evening to discuss the situation.
So far they have been steadfast in their support for the embattled president,
who has survived two opposition attempts to hold a recall referendum against
him. Chen has brushed aside weeks of boisterous street protests against him.
Chang said Chen met with prosecutors twice to discuss the handling of the
fund and serious discrepancies emerged in his testimony.
''Chen presented documents about six cases in which secret diplomatic funds
were used, but investigation by prosecutors showed that only (the documents
for) two cases were accurate,'' Chang said.
The probe into the presidential fund began in July, after the Ministry of
Audit said irregularities were found in the presidential office's accounting
of its expenditures.
Opposition lawmakers had previously begun looking into the fund after a
Taiwanese businesswoman living in Australia accused a close friend of Wu of
acquiring invoices from her company, purportedly for Wu's personal use.
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