Calls from the public and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to release former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on medical parole were denied as Minister of Justice Luo Ying-shay (羅瑩雪) yesterday said the prison where Chen in being held is more than capable of handling Chen’s health concerns, as he still observes normal schedules for activities and is eating and drink normally.
Luo rejected claims that there were political forces at work in the move, adding that all decisions were based on legal guidelines.
While the request for medical parole was denied, Luo said that it has been half a year since Chen was last checked by a medical team, which was when he last applied for medical parole.
Luo said that if Chen applies again for a diagnosis on whether he is fit for medical parole, the Agency of Corrections would consider including medical experts and physicians recommended by the family in the checkup team.
Chen’s son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) later yesterday said that the family would decide on its next action after conferring with the medical team and lawyers.
Meanwhile, Chen Shui-bian’s supporters gathering at Chen Chih-chung’s office panned President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) for being “cold-blooded” over the decision, adding that Ma should step down from the presidency.
Greater Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) issued a statement in which she protested against the ministry’s reasons for denying Chen Shui-bian’s medical parole request, adding that she would be meeting with the DPP to discuss how the party can offer support for public calls to release Chen Shui-bian.
Separately, Presidential Office spokesperson Ma Wei-kuo (馬瑋國) said that the office respected any decisions reached by the agencies in charge.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
Eleven people, including actor Darren Wang (王大陸), were taken into custody today for questioning regarding the evasion of compulsory military service and document forgery, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. Eight of the people, including Wang, are suspected of evading military service, while three are suspected of forging medical documents to assist them, the report said. They are all being questioned by police and would later be transferred to the prosecutors’ office for further investigation. Three men surnamed Lee (李), Chang (張) and Lin (林) are suspected of improperly assisting conscripts in changing their military classification from “stand-by
LITTORAL REGIMENTS: The US Marine Corps is transitioning to an ‘island hopping’ strategy to counterattack Beijing’s area denial strategy The US Marine Corps (USMC) has introduced new anti-drone systems to bolster air defense in the Pacific island chain amid growing Chinese military influence in the region, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. The new Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Mk 1 is being developed to counter “the growing menace of unmanned aerial systems,” it cited the Marine Corps as saying. China has constructed a powerful defense mechanism in the Pacific Ocean west of the first island chain by deploying weapons such as rockets, submarines and anti-ship missiles — which is part of its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy against adversaries — the
RSS