Friday, November 25, 2011

2012 ELECTIONS: DPP attorneys file lawsuits against three politicians

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

Lawsuits have been filed on behalf of Democratic Progressive Party legislators Chen Min-wen (陳明文) and Yu Tien (余天) as well as other DPP colleagues against three politicians who accused them of associating with a bookmaker.

DPP spokesperson Kang Yu-cheng (康裕成), an attorney, and Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎), the DPP’s legal adviser, filed a defamation lawsuit on Chen’s behalf at the Taipei Prosecutors’ Office against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅), the self-proclaimed “king of lawsuits.”

They also filed defamation lawsuits on behalf of Yu, DPP legislative candidate Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) and Hung Yao-nan (洪耀南) against Chiu, Taipei City Councilor Lin Ruei-tou (林瑞圖) and KMT legislative candidate Ou Chung-ching (歐崇敬) over similar allegations.

During a political talk show on Wednesday night, Chiu said Chen Min-wen had asked Chiayi-based bookmaker Chen Ying-chu (陳盈助) to make arrangements for DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) when she visited the Philippines in June.

“Chen [Min-wen] neither asked the bookmaker to receive Tsai nor help with DPP fundraising in the Philippines,” Kang told reporters.

Chiu also said Chen Ying-chu had hosted Cheng for free trips to Chen Ying-chu’s casinos in Manila and Macau.

Chen Ying-chu has been in the headlines in recent days because of an alleged meeting with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in September.

Ou said four former DPP chairpersons had befriended Chen Ying-chu, while Lin said that former premier Yu Shyi-kun received a monthly payment of NT$500,000 from the bookmaker, who also reportedly helped Yu Tien to pay off a NT$60 million gambling debt.

“None of the allegations are true,” Kang said.