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Chen not seeking amnesty
Staff writer
Chen Chih-chung, center, the son of former
president Chen Shui-bian, and members of a pro-independence group make a pledge
outside Taipei Prison yesterday.
PHOTO: CNA
Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday said he
welcomed the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government to rule him out of any
commutation it might grant next year to mark the Republic of China’s (ROC) 100th
anniversary, his son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) said.
The former president began serving a 17-and-a-half-year sentence at Taipei
Prison on Dec. 2 after being convicted of accepting bribes in connection with a
land deal and a personnel appointment.
After visiting his father, Chen Chih-chung, who was elected as a Greater
Kaohsiung City councilor late last month, made a public pledge outside of the
prison — alongside several other city councilors-elect who are members of a new
political group called “One Side, One Country” (一邊一國連線) to uphold the alliance’s
goals.
More than 30 members of the alliance won council seats in last month’s special
municipality elections, with nearly one-third becoming councilors in Greater
Tainan (resulting from the merger of Tainan City and Tainan County). The group
is dedicated to promoting Taiwan’s independence.
Chen Chih-chung said his father found it comforting that the alliance members
chose to make a pledge outside the prison and he hoped the group would get
bigger.
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