Pingtung County Councilor Hung Tzu-chien (洪慈綪) was yesterday released on bail, while her husband, Huang Chih-wei (黃志威), was detained incommunicado following an investigation into allegations they received kickbacks on public construction projects.
Hung, an independent, was elected councilor after she became known because her father, Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成), was killed in a fishing dispute when a Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat fired on the Kuang Ta Hsing (廣大興號).
Hung Tzu-chien and her husband allegedly received about NT$3 million (US$95,138) in kickbacks from contractors on public construction projects, Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office officials said.
Prosecutors directed police and investigators to carry out raids and summoned the couple for questioning, with Hung Tzu-chien released on NT$500,000 bail.
The corruption probe began last year following allegations of bid rigging and financial irregularity on several local projects administered by Liuchiu Township (琉球) authorities, Pingtung County officials said.
Liuchiu Township Mayor Chen Lung-chin (陳隆進) has been accused of involvement in the scheme, with prosecutors alleging that Huang acted as a “white glove,” meeting with contractors and collecting payments.
Hung Tzu-chien became a popular figure among residents for her outspoken manner in seeking justice for her father, along with her public criticism of the government’s handling of the dispute and jingoistic rhetoric against the Philippine government.
Hung had been accused of vote buying during her campaign for county councilor.
A Pingtung County resident surnamed Liao (廖) said Hung did not do much for her constituents.
The probe shows that Hung has been corrupted by power and became more concerned about money than anything else, Liao said.
Global bodies should stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons, President William Lai (賴清德) told Pope Francis in a letter, adding that he agrees war has no winners. The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to retain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and Taipei has watched with concern efforts by Beijing and the Holy See to improve ties. In October, the Vatican and China extended an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four years, pointing to a new level of trust between the two parties. Lai, writing to the pope in response to the pontiff’s message on Jan. 1’s
A Vietnamese migrant worker on Thursday won the NT$12 million (US$383,590) jackpot on a scratch-off lottery ticket she bought from a lottery shop in Changhua County’s Puyan Township (埔鹽), Taiwan Lottery Co said yesterday. The lottery winner, who is in her 30s and married, said she would continue to work in Taiwan and send her winnings to her family in Vietnam to improve their life. More Taiwanese and migrant workers have flocked to the lottery shop on Sec 2 of Jhangshuei Road (彰水路) to share in the luck. The shop owner, surnamed Chen (陳), said that his shop has been open for just
HOLIDAY EXERCISE: National forest recreation areas from north to south offer travelers a wide choice of sights to connect with nature and enjoy its benefits Hiking is a good way to improve one’s health, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said, as it released a list of national forest recreation areas that travelers can visit during the Lunar New Year holiday. Taking a green shower of phytoncides in the woods could boost one’s immunity system and metabolism, agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) cited a Japanese study as saying. For people visiting northern Taiwan, Lin recommended the Dongyanshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taoyuan’s Fusing District (復興). Once an important plantation in the north, Dongyanshan (東眼山) has a number of historic monuments, he said. The area is broadly covered by
TAKE BREAKS: A woman developed cystitis by refusing to get up to use the bathroom while playing mahjong for fear of disturbing her winning streak, a doctor said People should stand up and move around often while traveling or playing mahjong during the Lunar New Year holiday, as prolonged sitting can lead to cystitis or hemorrhoids, doctors said. Yuan’s General Hospital urologist Lee Tsung-hsi (李宗熹) said that he treated a 63-year-old woman surnamed Chao (趙) who had been sitting motionless and holding off going to the bathroom, increasing her risk of bladder infection. Chao would drink beverages and not urinate for several hours while playing mahjong with friends and family, especially when she was on a winning streak, afraid that using the bathroom would ruin her luck, he said. She had
RSS