By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and former DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday visited former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) at a hospital in Taoyuan County and called for Chen’s release for medical treatment.
Chen, who is serving a 17-and-a-half-year sentence in Taipei Prison for corruption, was sent to Taoyuan General Hospital on Wednesday night after complaining of dysuria, or pain when urinating.
The former president’s health is of great concern and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) should consider granting Chen a release for medical treatment, Su told reporters after visiting Chen at hospital.
Chen, 62, was brought back to Taoyuan General Hospital one day after receiving a medical treatment at the same hospital on Tuesday.
Su said the medical checkup on Tuesday was “sloppy,” because Chen had complained of dysuria that day, adding that many physicians who had conducted preliminary examinations on Chen expressed serious concerns over his health.
Because now almost half of the county and city councils across the country have passed resolutions demanding a release for medical treatment for Chen, Ma should “let go” consider allowing the medical parole, said Su, who was accompanied by DPP lawmakers Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) and Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑).
Tsai Ing-wen, accompanied by DPP lawmakers Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), Chen Chieh-ju (陳節如) and Liu Chien-kuo (劉建國), met with Chen in the hospital for 40 minutes later yesterday evening.
The former DPP chair reiterated her call to establish a medical task force to conduct a thorough examination of Chen’s health and release Chen for medical treatment.
Also on yesterday, Chen’s mother, Chen Lee Shen (陳李慎), traveled from Greater Tainan to meet Chen in Taoyuan and told reporters she was “heartbroken” every time she saw her son.
Chen Shui-bian’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), called again for a release of his father for treatment, saying treatment under escort was not the best way to address Chen’s health problems.