Senior KMT official detained in Pingtung recall forgery case

Pingtung, July 2 (CNA) A senior official from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) was detained and held incommunicado Wednesday over alleged forgery of signatures in a recall petition targeting an Indigenous Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator.

The Pingtung District Court approved the detention of Huang Pi-yun (黃碧雲), deputy head of the KMT's Organizational and Development Committee, about 30 minutes after her court hearing.

The KMT responded by arguing that prosecutors had seriously overstepped the bounds of a legal investigation and violated the due process of the accused.

The Pingtung case involved 15 KMT staffers suspected of using falsified personal data in a recall bid against DPP Legislator Wu Li-hua/Saidai Tahovecahe (伍麗華).

The Pingtung District Prosecutors Office said earlier that the case may involve violations of the Criminal Code, the Personal Data Protection Act, and the Public Officials Election and Recall Act.

Prosecutors argued that the detention of Huang was necessary due to the seriousness of the charges and concerns that Huang might collude with accomplices or witnesses.

On Tuesday, investigators searched KMT offices in Taoyuan, Nantou, Hualien, and Taitung counties and the residences of some staffers, and they questioned 15 individuals.

Among those questioned was KMT staffer Lee Te-chuan (李得全), who was released on NT$500,000 (US$16,500) bail on Wednesday.

Five other KMT staffers were released on bail ranging from NT$100,000 to NT$200,000, while eight were released without bail.

The KMT said in a statement that "prosecutors and investigators have seriously overstepped the bounds of legal investigation by raiding the homes of opposition party staff without solid evidence and coercing confessions, violating due process and procedural justice."

This case is the latest in a string of investigations involving KMT members or supporters linked to recall efforts against ruling DPP lawmakers. The KMT has condemned the nationwide probe as politically motivated persecution.

The investigation followed a complaint filed by Wu on April 17, citing 1,521 invalid recall signatures, including 202 from deceased individuals and 143 from people outside her electoral district.

To mount recall initiatives in Taiwan, petitioners need to get signed endorsements from eligible voters in the constituency of the elected official targeted for recall.