A HIGHER CAUSE:Pardoning the ill former president would help achieve social harmony and be conducive to Taiwan’s development, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu said
Taipei Times
Date: Apr 09, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter
The Presidential Office has rejected a renewed call from local governments
The Kaohsiung City Council yesterday holds a meeting to decide whether to ask President Ma Ying-jeou to pardon former president Chen Shui-bian. Photo Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times
to pardon former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), saying there are still ongoing criminal cases involving Chen.
“Presidential pardon is an issue that will only be considered after a final verdict has been reached. However, a number of criminal cases against Chen are still going on,” the Presidential Office said in a statement released yesterday.
The office issued the statement shortly after the Kaohsiung City Council passed a motion proposed by the council’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus urging President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to grant a pardon to Chen before his term ends on May 20, which it said could facilitate rapprochement between the pan-blue and pan-green camps.
The motion was signed by 39 city councilors, four of whom are not members of the DPP. [FULL STORY]
