TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The TPP responded on Thursday to the indictment of former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), reaffirming his innocence and calling for a public trial.
The TPP questioned the strength of the case presented by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office and requested a public trial, per CTI. The party also reiterated its commitment to wait for Ko's return, emphasizing that it would not face leadership issues from the legal proceedings, per UDN.
TPP Central Committee Member Lin Fu-nan (林富男) criticized the prosecution for failing to trace the alleged bribe money and suggested the case lacked substantial evidence, per CNA. Lin’s concerns were echoed by TPP Caucus Leader Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), who speculated that the prosecution’s decision to withhold its list of evidence could be due to the absence of compelling proof.
Huang confirmed that the TPP would formally request a public trial to ensure transparency.
When asked about the possibility of Ko facing punishment similar to that of former Hsinchu Mayor and TPP member Kao Hung-an (高虹安), TPP Central Committee Chair Li Wei-hua (李偉華) clarified that the situations were different.
Li stated that while the TPP viewed the indictment as potentially politically motivated, the party would conduct its own investigation, prioritizing it over the prosecution’s case due to concerns over quality. Li further explained that the party typically invites those under investigation to personally defend themselves, but this was not possible with Ko still under government custody.
Regarding the growing public support outside the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, Huang expressed gratitude. Huang said that party officials would join the supporters if the crowd size reached a sufficient level, per UDN.