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Updated Thursday, July 7, 2011 0:13 am TWN, The China Post news staff



	Police escort 14 Taiwanese suspects from an international fraud case, who were controversially deported from the Philippines to China last year, at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, yesterday. After much cross-strait cooperation and negotiation, the suspects were successfully repatriated yesterday. (CNA) Enlarge Photo

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14 Taiwanese fraud suspects repatriated from China

After months of cross-strait dialogue, the 14 Taiwanese suspects who were controversially deported from the Philippines to China in a fraud case last year were repatriated to Taiwan yesterday afternoon, escorted by agents from the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

The 14 suspects touched down at 3:30 p.m. Officials described them as lower-ranking pawns in the international telephone fraud case; the youngest suspect is reportedly 19 years old.

Under the command of the fraud ringleaders, the 14 suspects face charges of defrauding people in China of 140 million yuan (US$21.23 million). Investigators say they are currently probing for members of the fraud gang that could currently be at large.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) revealed that, the 14 returning locals included, a total of 107 suspects from 121 separate cases have been successfully extradited and repatriated across the Strait from China to Taiwan since the signing of the agreement on cross-strait cooperation in combating crimes and mutual legal assistance between Taiwan and China (兩岸共同打擊犯罪及司法互助協議).

Director Tsai Jui-tsung of the Department of Prosecutorial Affairs described Beijing's cooperation as “an act of goodwill,” adding that the fraud case is a judiciary issue, not one about sovereignty.

The 14 Taiwanese nationals were arrested by a China-Philippines anti-crime task force last year in Manila on charges of cross-border fraud against Chinese nationals. Ten Chinese, suspected to be accomplices, were also arrested. Manila also deported to Beijing the 14 Taiwanese along with the Chinese suspects on Feb. 2 amid heavy protests from Taipei.

The incident triggered a diplomatic row between Taiwan and the Philippines, with Taiwan launching a series of protests over Manila's disregard of Taiwanese jurisdiction concerning the Taiwanese suspects.

On Feb. 5, the Chinese government expressed its willingness to communicate in a timely manner with the Taiwanese government regarding the follow-up of the case, according to the cross-strait agreement on joint crime-fighting and judicial assistance, and based on its hope to maintain the peaceful cross-strait relationship.

The Ministry of Justice sent official messages to the Chinese government on Feb. 8, asking to have the 14 suspects sent back to Taiwan as soon as possible, along with the investigation results and relevant files, promising that the suspects will receive heavy penalties while civil claims were to be filed for the Chinese victims.

While the Taiwanese suspects were in custody in China, the Chinese police sent officials to Taiwan to report on the case. Beijing also invited Taiwanese police and prosecutors to visit on four occasions to further aid and understand the investigation process. Visits for the suspects' family members were also arranged.

A meeting in late May between the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior National Police Agency Director-General Wang Cho-chiun and the mainland China Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu (中共公安部部長孟建柱) concluded the cooperation, resulting in yesterday's repatriation.

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Comments

July 7, 2011 therines@

So these are the notorious 14 bad eggs, not worth the diplomatic row of two countries. Judiciary issue, it says, not a question of sovereignty. They should have remained in the mainland, save us money to feed them and if they will be sentence here, give the heaviest one. DEATH!

July 7, 2011 twnews.taipei@

@therines so why were they deported to China if it's not a sovereignty issue? Are we all deporting criminals to random countries now? These are common criminals but the resulting fracas painted the Ma government as weak and subordinate to China.

July 26, 2011 therines@

"Director Tsai Jui-tsung of the Department of Prosecutorial Affairs described Beijing's cooperation as “an act of goodwill,” adding that the fraud case is a judiciary issue, not one about sovereignty."

I quote, referring to China-Taiwan not Taiwan- Philippines.
As for your question are we deporting criminals to random countries now, my answer, I'm no international lawyer u better ask the experts. I can infer from your comment that u had issues with Ma government the way this thing or other things between China and Taiwan are handled. Politicians will always be politicians, I leave their case.