Premier Wu names Huang Shih-ming as acting justice minister

Huang on Thursday also tendered his resignation along with Wang, but Premier Wu Den-yih has only approved the minister's resignation while appointing the deputy to the care-taking role.

Wu yesterday formally signed Wang's resignation where he also put a brief note thanking her for her “hard work.”

Earlier Thursday Wang still showed no intention to step down despite coming under fire for her adamant position against capital punishment and persistent refusal to sign the orders for the execution of 44 death-row inmates.

She said her losing the job over such an issue would make Taiwan an international laughing stock and that she would stand firm by her duty as justice minister.

But news broke late in the night that she had submitted her resignation and the premier and President Ma Ying-jeou had agreed to let her go.

Sources claimed a phone call from the premier resulted in her U-turn.

Lawmakers yesterday questioned whether the premier had pressured Wang into resigning.

But the premier said he had not given Wang any “instructions” or “hints” over the issue.

“I did not persuade her (to resign). Neither did I call her,” Wu told the Legislature.

Wang showed up at the Justice Ministry office around noon to bid farewell to her colleagues.

She stressed that forcing her to sign the execution orders would be tantamount to forcing her to kill people.

She said she could not do it, and had no choice but resign.

She still insisted that it was an international trend and consensus not to carry out the death penalty, and Taiwan should look at the issue more rationally.

She said she will return to her lawyer work and continue fighting for human rights.

Wang had already spent a few hours packing her things with the help of the vice minister until 3 a.m. after submitting the resignation.

Huang disclosed that when he accepted Wang's appointment to the vice minister post in 2008, he already reminded her of the execution issue.

Huang said he told her that she should carry out her duty as justice minister and sign the execution orders.

Huang has been nominated by President Ma to be the country's prosecutor general.

Wang has received little support from the public or her colleagues in the controversy.

While her argument against capital punishment may be tenable, the focus of row has been on her refusal to fulfill her duty as justice minister.

President Ma, as justice minister in the 1990s, famously refused to sign the execution order for three death-row inmates — the so-called “Hsichi Trio” who were convicted of murder under controversial circumstances.

But Ma did more — he filed special appeals on behalf of the convicted murderers. They were subsequently released although their case remains a controversy.

The Presidential Office on Thursday issued a statement saying the country has to be ruled by law.

The Central News Agency cited top government officials as saying that president was already spelling out a position clearly against Wang, who had no choice but leave.

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