Nantou prosecutors raid, question recall vote campaigners

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) Nantou prosecutors conducted raids on Tuesday at the residences and offices of individuals leading recall vote campaigns against representatives from both the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT).

According to the Nantou District Prosecutors Office, Lin Ching-tung (林敬桐) and Tsai Yi-chu (蔡宜助) -- who are spearheading recall petition drives against KMT Legislator Yu Hao (游顥) and DPP Councilor Chen Yu-ling (陳玉鈴), respectively -- were brought in for questioning.

Lin and Tsai were taken in as suspects, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The actions taken by Nantou prosecutors formed part of a broader investigation into recall vote campaigns against lawmakers and councilors nationwide, which the Central Election Commission has said involved numerous forged signatures.

On June 5, Yu claimed that the recall vote petitions in his district contained the most invalid signatures in Nantou County, urging prosecutors not to single out dubious petitions against the DPP.

He filed a complaint with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, which subsequently referred the case to its Nantou counterpart.

The KMT, Taiwan's main opposition party, has come under scrutiny after prosecutors charged around 100 chapter staff members, primarily on suspicion of forging signatures in connection with the party's efforts to recall DPP lawmakers.

Meanwhile, judicial and investigative authorities from other municipalities raided the KMT's Nantou chapter on Tuesday. Attempts by reporters to contact chapter officials were unsuccessful, as phone calls went unanswered at the time of reporting.