TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A high-stakes decision looms this Wednesday (Sept. 4) as a judicial panel prepares to rule on the appeal challenging the release of Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) without bail. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office (台北地檢署) is seeking to overturn the initial decision, setting the stage for a critical legal showdown.
The lawyer of former Taipei Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) also filed an appeal against his detention a day earlier, arguing there was no justification for it. After reviewing the case, the Taipei District Court said it would forward the appeal and relevant documents to the Taiwan High Court.
The Taiwan High Court (高院) received the case from the Taipei District Court (北院) a day earlier. The controversy centers on Core Pacific City's (京華城) floor area ratio dispute, which saw the Taipei District Prosecutors Office summon Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Aug. 30.
Ko, alleging prosecutorial fatigue tactics, refused to cooperate and was arrested but later released without bail. The prosecutors appealed this decision on Tuesday, while Pong's lawyer filed an appeal before 5 p.m. the same day.
Core Pacific Group (威京集團) faced scrutiny from both Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) councilors over potential undue privileges or benefits, as the floor area ratio for Core Pacific City increased from 392% to 560%, and then to 840%.
An investigation revealed that Core Pacific Group Chairman Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京) lobbied then-Mayor Ko Wen-je through KMT Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇).
Prosecutors found a financial flow of NT$47.4 million between Sheen and Ying around the time the city government approved the floor area ratio increase. Pong, who held multiple roles including Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Urban Planning Commission, allegedly manipulated commission meetings to favor Core Pacific City.
Shao Hsiu-pei (邵琇珮), another key figure, was summoned on Monday under the "Anti-Corruption Act" (貪污治罪條例) and faced travel restrictions the following day.
The judicial panel's ruling on these appeals will significantly impact the ongoing investigation.