TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said on Tuesday (Oct. 1) that he would not attend a court hearing. The party learned about Ko's refusal through media reports and believed Ko made this decision for a reason.
Commenting on the situation, TPP member Vicky Chen (陳智菡) stated that numerous individuals connected to the party and Ko have faced intense interrogations and searches. Chen expressed concerns about the fairness of the judicial process, questioning whether the investigations adhere to evidence-based practices and proportionality principles.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has been actively investigating the case and summoned Ko for the fifth time on Tuesday regarding the Core Pacific City (京華城) corruption scandal. However, Ko's refusal to attend prompted the office to postpone the hearing. The presiding prosecutor later cited concerns over Ko's physical and mental condition, deciding to reschedule the session.
Since late August, the prosecutor's office has conducted searches and interviews, leading to the detention of several high-profile figures, including Ko, former Taipei deputy mayor Peng Cheng-sheng (彭振聲), Core Pacific Group Chairman Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇), and Ying's assistant Wu Shun-min (吳順民).