Chen was named a co-defendant in a case involving the alleged embezzlement of as much as NT$14.8 million from the state affairs fund by using other people's invoices or receipts.

The case against him was shelved when he enjoyed the immunity privilege while still in office, although his wife and several senior aides have be on trial at the Taipei District Court following their indictment of corruption and forgery in November 2006 in the same high-profile case.

In earlier investigation, Chen admitted using false receipts to claim money from the state, but insisted those funds were used for "secret diplomatic missions," and not his personal benefit.

Nevertheless, prosecutors found that at least NT$1.5 million had been spent for non-official affairs, including buying diamond rings and other luxury items for his wife and family.

Chen had classified the documents before prosecutors launched a probe against him on May 20 -- the day he left office after his second and final four-year term.

Accompanied by three lawyers, Chen insisted yesterday that he was innocent of the charges because he subjectively and objectively had neither intention nor actual acts to embezzle the fund.

He cited the similar case against incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou who had been indicted of embezzling his "special fee" endowed to senior government officials as an expense account when he served as Taipei mayor.

Ma was exonerated of the charge successively by the Taipei District Court, the Taiwan High Court, and the Supreme Court following painstaking trials.

Chen emphasized that a president's "state affairs fee" -- a special allowance set aside for the president's personal discretionary use for official purposes -- was actually a "special special fee" at the disposal of a president.

He also said the money had been spent for extremely sensitive ventures that should be sealed as permanent national secrets so that the national security will not be compromised.

Chen complained to the prosecutors about Ma's recent move.

He said that Ma has no right to declassify the national secrets documents defined by a presidential predecessor.

The Presidential Office announced the declassification earlier this month after a panel appointed by Ma determined that none of the documents sealed by Chen fits the criteria of being national secrets.

Lawmakers from Chen's opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said had file a lawsuit against Ma for alleged violation of the National Secrets Protection Law and committing treason after he declassified Chen's security documents for studying by investigators.

Chen came to the prosecutors office amid tightened security by more than 100 security guards and police.

He was kicked by an anti-corruption protester when he recently appeared at the district court as a defendant in a libel case in which he accused several former senior naval officers had embezzled money used to procure battleships for the navy.

The assault took place after he ignored the safe route arranged articulately by the nation's security agencies to enter the court and chose his own route to affront a protesting crowd.

The former president had safe entry and exit by sticking to the security network set up by the security authorities.

Prosecutors said they will consult the declassified secret documents to determine and verify if Chen's new statement conforms with the real purpose for public use as he claimed when the money was spent.

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