A wanted criminal who recently appeared in a controversial cable TV broadcast threatening to murder a rival has been arrested, the National Police Agency said yesterday.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau's Sixth Division Captain Chi Ming-mou (紀明謀) said Chou Cheng-pao (周政保) was apprehended at a hideout between Tsaotun Township (草屯) and Wurih Township (烏日) in Nantou County at around 4:30pm yesterday.
Chou was found in possession of a bulletproof vest and four replica guns, two rifles and two pistols, Chi said.
"We will try to figure out the details of the case, including how he [Chou] contacted TVBS Nantou reporter Shih Chen-kang (史鎮康)," Chi said.
Chou was immediately escorted to Taichung City Police Department's Second Precinct for questioning. As of press time yesterday, he was still being questioned.
Chou had sparked concern over public security after appearing in a "homemade" video sitting behind a table on which two M-16 rifles and two handguns were displayed. In the video, Chou threatened to shoot his gang boss, Liu Jui-jung (
The video was aired by TVBS on Monday and labeled as a "scoop." At the time, TVBS said the video had been sent in by Chou.
But the station admitted on Wednesday night that Chou's video had been shot by Shih. The station subsequently fired Shih and his superior, chief correspondent Chang Yu-kun (
Taichung District Prosecutors' Office issued a summons for Shih and Chang late on Wednesday night. Shih was released on NT$100,000 bail while Chang was released late yesterday without any restrictions after questioning.
Whether Chou had asked Shih for help, or Shih had instigated the entire episode and asked Chou to "act" in the video would be the main point of the investigation now that Chou was in custody, police said.
National Police Agency Director-General Hou You-yi (
"We interviewed witnesses and discovered that there were four people at the scene when the video was filmed," Hou said. "We also found that the photographer must have been a professional cameraman as he had left enough head and shoulder room in the film."
Hou added that TVBS contacted him on Wednesday to say that an internal review by the station had discovered the truth.
Meanwhile, Premier Su Tseng-chang
"I am so upset," Su said at a press conference called to assuage public concern. "No matter how hard we work to improve public order and reduce crime rates, one video like this can destroy all our efforts."
The National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday the station would receive harsh punishment for the incident.
"But other news stations should not think this incident has nothing to do with them," said NCC spokesperson Howard Shyr (
The commission issued official documents to 11 major TV stations, asking them to dispatch representatives to brief members of a special taskforce formed by NCC-authorized media experts.
Based on the NCC's records for news stations, content on TVBS or TVBS-N has never been ruled as disruptive to social order or failed to observe the content-rating system during the past year.
The commission did not consider a report broadcast by TVBS last December that claimed duck farmers were using tar to defeather their birds as being in violation of broadcast codes.
Investigations conducted by agricultural agencies suggested there was no evidence that tar was being used by any duck farmer.
The asphalt duck incident was not considered a violation, since the station had taken compensatory measures immediately afterward, the commission said.
According to the Satellite Broadcasting Law (
Additional reporting by CNA
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