In a statement, President Chen’s Office of Public Relations denied press reports that the first lady made purchases totaling NT$240,000 at a Sogo department store with its vouchers.

A media worker, Chen Feng-hsin, was quoted by the China Times as reporting a Sogo clerk witnessed Wu Shu-chen, the first lady, make the purchases on four occasions in 2003.

At least NT$8.8 million in vouchers were given away, according to Chang Min-chiang, former Sogo president. The vouchers were handled by Li Heng-lung, his general manager then.

“Neither the president, his wife Wu Shu-chen nor members of the first family have received any vouchers from any one of Li Heng-lung, Chang Min-chiang, Chen Che-nan, and Douglas Hsu,” the statement said.

Chen Che-nan, President Chen’s former deputy secretary-general now under detention without bail for involvement in a scam, was alleged to have accepted NT$20 million from Chang Min-chiang as a bribe to help Sogo obtain bank loans to resist a takeover by Douglas Hsu, president of the Far Eastern group.

“President Chen said he is willing to step down to take responsibility if any member of the first family has received Sogo cash vouchers,” the statement said.

Wu bought the Sogo vouchers together with her friends, the statement added.

It’s the second time the president promised to resign to prove his innocence.

On October 13 last year, President Chen pledged to quit if he were found to be involved in the Kaohsiung Metro scandal, for which his former deputy secretary-general was indicted.

The scandal came to light after Thai workers rioted against contractors for the mass transit system in Kaohsiung in August last year.

What was reported by the China Times was not true, the Office of Public Relations said.

Mrs. Chen did not buy bed sheets and other things as claimed for NT$100,000 on February 20, the statement said. “She spent only NT$10,000 on that day,” it added.

Nor did the first lady spend NT$140,000 on March 6, the statement went on. It was her friend who made a purchase at Sogo, it said.

“For a series of false press reports about the first family,” the statement added, “the president expressed deep regret, because it is extremely unfair and has caused serious damage.”

Douglas Hsu said he has nothing to do with the Sogo vouchers.

Chang Min-chiang, summoned as a witness in a pre-trial hearing of Chen Che-nan Wednesday, said Hsu and Li Heng-lung knew who received the vouchers.

Probably, Hsu said, Chang, 85, was senile. The old man may forget what happened.

“I have nothing to do with the vouchers,” Hsu told reporters.

In the end, however, the Far Eastern group took over Sogo. Li is currently president of one of Taiwan’s largest department store chains.

Kuomintang lawmaker Lee Chuan-chiao, sued by the first family for libel, urged the prosecution to look into how the vouchers changed hands.

“We have secured the serial numbers of the vouchers,” said Lee.

They were supplied by the witness the media worker referred to in the China Times report.

Lee told a press conference the Sogo clerk, identified only as Lin, told him she had been threatened.

“Prosecutors have to double-check the vouchers used,” Lee said.

The legislator, one of the ten contenders for mayor of Kaohsiung, said he is certain some of the vouchers used would bear the same serial numbers, of which he is in possession.

“It is apparent that the first family received the gift,” Lee pointed out.

Not just the witness was threatened, Lee went on. “I myself have also been threatened,” he said.

“Somebody threatened to shoot me,” Lee told reporters.

He also demanded that Chao Chien-ming, President Chen’s son-in-law, apologize for falsely accusing him of accepting at least NT$1 million in Sogo vouchers.