US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4235

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004235 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP 
 
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TW 
SUBJECT:  Alleged Vote-buying Already Rampant in the lead up 
to the December 3, 2005, "3 in 1 Elections" 
 
Ref:  TAIPEI 4144 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1.  (U) On October 5, 2005, more than 200 prosecutors, 
police and investigative authorities searched the campaign 
offices of Soong Li-hua, an Independent candidate running 
for Pingtung County magistrate, as well as the residences of 
Soong's supporters and campaign workers.  Carrying out 
searches based on allegations of vote-buying, the 
authorities discovered raffle prizes including televisions, 
refrigerators, air conditioners and bicycles that were given 
away to supporters at parties hosted by Soong's campaign 
aides beginning from June 2005.  Seventy-seven of Soong's 
campaign aides and supporters were interviewed.  Authorities 
detained one of Soong's core campaign staff. 
 
2.  (SBU) Soong Li-hua is the wife of incumbent Pingtung 
independent legislator Tsai Hao. Soong reported to the 
Pingtung Prosecutor's Office on October 13, 2005, where she 
was charged with vote-buying and was released on bail of NTD 
one million (USD 29,8500).  Soong issued a statement that 
she did not commit vote-buying and that she would not 
withdraw from the election.  She also questioned the amount 
of bail, which she believed had been set too high.  Local 
prosecutors, however, pointed out to AIT Kaohsiung that 75 
refrigerators were found in her personal office, suggesting 
she must have known about them. 
 
3.  (U) Despite her arrest, polls conducted by Eastern 
Television (ETTV) on October 11, 2005, in Pingtung show an 
increase in Soong's rate of support, which now stands at 
13.2 per cent.  Her support rate in the last poll from late 
September was only 8.29 percent. 
 
4.  (SBU) This is the first large-scale case of vote-buying 
lodged against a magisterial candidate in southern Taiwan 
during the 3 in 1 elections.  In talking with a variety of 
prosecutors AIT/K learned the status of vote-buying 
investigations and cases as a result of the upcoming 
elections is already high.  Most of the investigations 
surround allegations of vote-buying in the form of meals, 
entertainment, or travel.  Prosecutors indicate that 
indictments will never be brought in most of these cases. 
 
5.  (SBU) As of October 17, 2005, in southern Taiwan the 
running tally of election corruption cases emerging from the 
upcoming "3 in 1" elections stands as follows: 
 
   Pingtung police have received 64 complaints.  Of these, 
   60 are under informal investigation by the county police 
   and four have been referred to prosecutors for formal 
   investigation.  No indictments have yet been brought. 
 
   Kaohsiung police have received 42 complaints.  Of these, 
   39 are under informal investigation by the county police 
   and three have been referred to prosecutors for formal 
   investigation.  Indictments have been brought in two 
   cases against four persons. 
 
   Tainan police have received 205 complaints.  Of these, 
   193 are under informal investigation by the county police 
   and twelve have been referred to prosecutors for formal 
   investigation.   Indictments have been brought in two 
   cases against twenty-six persons. 
 
   Chiayi police have received 40 complaints.  Of these, 35 
   are under informal investigation by county police and 
   five have been referred to prosecutors for formal 
   investigation.  Indictments have been brought in one case 
   against twenty-six persons. 
 
   Taitung police have received 34 complaints.  Of these, 33 
   are under informal investigation by county police and one 
   has been referred to prosecutors for formal 
   investigation.  No indictments have yet been brought. 
 
   Penghu police have received 179 complaints.  Of these, 56 
   are under informal investigation by county police and 123 
   have has been referred to prosecutors for formal 
   investigation.  No indictments have yet been brought. 
 
6. (U) AIT/K was unable to obtain numbers for Yunlin County. 
 
THIELE 
PAAL