Chen Shui-bian questioned over taking classified files when leaving presidency

Incarcerated former President Chen Shui-bian was summoned yesterday for questioning as part of an investigation into allegations that he took more than 20 cartons of classified files with him when he left the Presidential Office in May 2008.

Investigators from the Special Investigation Division (SID) under the Supreme Prosecutors Office seized 44 boxes of files and documents belonging to the Presidential Office when they searched Chen's office in September 2008, according SID Director Chen Hung-tah.

SID prosecutors in 2010 took 58 cartons of files from Chen's office and his jail cell after the Presidential Office filed a lawsuit with the SID, alleging that Chen's office had violated the Embezzlement of Public Property Act.

More than 10,000 pieces among the sea of files were preliminarily identified as "classified" files after the SID verified them with the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense said.

The SID wanted to question Chen over the "classified" files Tuesday, but the questioning process lasted only a short time after Chen complained of having a "stomach ache."

The former president has been sentenced to over 17 years in prison for embezzling state funds, laundering money, accepting bribes and committing forgery.

If the over 10,000 pieces of files are confirmed as classified, Chen may face other charges of embezzling public property and collecting national intelligence, the SID said.

The SID returned Chen to his cell at the Taipei Detention Center earlier than scheduled and decided to choose another date for further questioning.

Tsai Lost Presidency Due to Keeping Distance: Chen

In related news, Chen yesterday said the main reason that the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wei lost the January presidential election was because she has deliberately "keep a distance from him."

Tsai was unable to complete the "last mile" on the road to Taiwan's presidency because she failed to win support from those who followed Chen himself, the ex-president said in a statement released by his office yesterday.

Chen said his son Chen Chih-chung's bid in the January Legislative election, though failed, reveals that there are more than a small number of people in Taiwan that are in support of his hope that one day Taiwan can call for independence, the statement said.

Top opposition officials should not ignore the fact, and should not distance themselves from him, Chen said in the statement.