TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Minister of National Defense, Chiu Kuo-cheng, apologized to the family of a recently deceased 23-year-old lieutenant, surnamed Cheng, on Thursday (Sept. 7).
The lieutenant's death is clouded in mystery after his lifeless body was found under a banyan tree behind the camp's dormitory on Tuesday (Sept. 5).
Cheng was a part of the 99th Marine Brigade at ZiYi Camp, and his family has issued statements suspecting foul play, revealing that the lieutenant had previously insinuated that he was being bullied within the camp.
To this, the defense minister assured the family that the truth of the incident would be uncovered.
In a fit of distress, Cheng's mother blamed the nation for her son's death.
She demanded justice from Chiu, who pledged to reveal the truth and vowed not to be lenient if punishment or legal proceedings were warranted.
On Wednesday, the navy promised full cooperation in the investigation, reiterating they would not tolerate unlawful actions.
They also pledged to allow Cheng's family to witness the investigation according to regulations, aiming to alleviate their concerns.
Lieutenant General Wu Li-ping, Chief of Staff of the Navy, stated that there were no abnormalities with Cheng's job performance and had fulfilled his duties satisfactorily.
Wu echoed Chiu's pledge to keep the family informed and included in the process, striving for clarity and justice in the case.