Grand justice urged to quit over ‘scandal’

The foundation, composed of hundreds of reform-minded lawyers, issued the call in response to press reports that Cheng, 69, allegedly went April 2 to a motel in suburban Taipei with a woman surnamed Wang, 30 years younger than Cheng, and stayed there for 70 minutes.

Although Cheng said that the press reports resulted from a misunderstanding, and categorically denied having any love affair with the woman, the foundation said that if Cheng takes the initiative to quit before any judicial investigation or punishment, then he can secure the last opportunity to keep the dignity of a grand justice.

The foundation said the fact that Cheng and his female friend jointly went into and out of a motel has violated the rules justices should follow.

On another front, the foundation also urged news media not to overly explore the privacy of public figures via paparazzi, so as not to unduly hurt them and their relatives or friends.

In response to the reported allegations concerning the love affair, Cheng said that Mrs. Wang is familiar with his son and other family members, although they only recently met each other during a dinner party in November 2005. Wang is a Ph.D in biotechnology, and teaches at a university in southern Taiwan.

On April 2, Wang asked Cheng to help her settle some legal issues concerning her application for the post of chief executive officer (CEO) of a biotechnology research center. Cheng went to help Wang and then sent the application form to the research center. But on their way back to Taipei, Wang felt she got running bowels, and Cheng immediately decided to find a suitable place for Wang to go to toilet and take a rest. That’s why they went to a motel in Wuku Township, Taipei County, according to Cheng.

According to the press reports, Cheng departed his home at 11:00 a.m., April 2 riding a SAAB sedan to Wang’s residence in a building in the Kuandu community, staying there for some one hour and then returning to Taipei before going to the Rong Yuan Motel located on the Section 2, Hsinwu Rad., Wuku Township, where they stayed 70 minutes.

Accordingly, news media asked Cheng to answer why he skipped the convenient gas stations, where there usually are toilets, or Wang’s residence in Kuandu community, and finally went to a motel in suburban Taipei for a 70-minute stay. Cheng replied that he failed to find a gas station then.

Cheng stressed that it was a misunderstanding by news media, adding that after he made detailed explanations to his wife about the allegation, his wife can accept the explanation and express her full understanding of the matter.

Cheng also told Oung Yueh-sheng, president of the Judicial Yuan, through a phone call that the press reports on the issue were not true. But the Judicial Yuan would move to better understand the entirety of the matter, and would take proper actions if Cheng was found really involved in the love affair with Mrs. Wang.

In related news, Lawmaker Shen Chih-hui of the opposition People First Party yesterday also urged Cheng to quit his current jobs as a grand justice and vice president of the Judicial Yuan, or face interpellations at the judicial committee of the Legislative Yuan.

Shen said that Cheng’s alleged visit to a motel with a young woman has tarnished the image of the judicial system and run counter to people’s expectations.

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