19 People Questioned as Bribery Scandal Hits Directorate General of Highways 公路總局爆核發路證索賄 約談19人

The Directorate General of Highways has become embroiled in a bribery scandal. An engineer surnamed Lin has been accused of soliciting NT$5 million in bribes from companies. 19 people have been brought in for questioning.

“Do you want to clarify anything?”

Lin gave no words to reporters' questions. The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office jointly launched an investigation after being notified. The main suspect, an engineer surnamed Lin who works for the First Maintenance Office's Zhongli Public Works Section, was questioned, along with eight other suspects on Aug. 24. Another ten were also called in as witnesses.

Voice of Liu Shih-kang, Director, Ethics Office, First Maintenance Office, DGH:” This morning (Aug. 24), the Investigation Bureau's Taipei office came to search our Zhongli Public Works Section. That's when we found out that colleagues had possibly solicited bribes from companies in terms of reviewing and granting road rights and permits.”

As companies need to apply for road excavation permits, Lin used his position and a proxy to solicit bribes totaling nearly NT$5 million from companies in return. Lin had worked the Zhongli Public Works Section for 25 years since 1996. The First Maintenance Office said it was unaware of any bribery but would cooperate with prosecutors.

Liu Shih-kang, Director, Ethics Office, First Maintenance Office, DGH:” We will fully cooperate with the judicial investigation. This part is not public. If the case does proceed to trial after the investigation, we will do our administrative accountability. If there is a ruling, we will submit the report to higher authorities based on our usual practice to allow the court to propose punishment.” 

Prosecutors are trying to determine if there were violations of the Anti-Corruption Act. Meanwhile, the First Maintenance Office will examine all road excavation applications involving Lin. The objective is to determine if there are any other bribery cases or cases with abnormal circumstances

「要不要澄清一下。」

面對記者提問不願多說，交通部公路總局爆出涉嫌收賄風波，新北地檢署接獲檢舉，兵分多路搜索，中壢工務段的林姓工程司等九名被告以及十名證人，陸續在24號晚間到案。

公路總局第一區養護工程處政風室主任 劉世康：「今天早上(8/24)是台北市調處來我們轄區的中壢工務路段搜索，然後我們才知道，我們在那個路權路證的核發業務上面，好像就是可能就是有，等於就是有同仁向業者索賄的情事。」

由於道路挖掘必須先提出申請，林姓工程司疑似利用職務之便，在核發開挖路證前，透過白手套向廠商索賄將近五百萬元，第一區養護工程處回應，事前並沒有掌握到收賄相關資訊，不過林姓工程司是在85年到中壢工務段任職，工作時間長達25年，將會配合檢方偵辦。

公路總局第一區養護工程處政風室主任 劉世康：「我們會全力配合司法偵辦，這個部分就是比較屬於偵查不公開的部分，第二個部分就是達到下一階段，假如有起訴的話我們就會做行政究責的部分。假如有判決的話，依我們目前的慣例會移送報請上級，呈轉懲戒法院去提出懲戒。」

全案依違反貪汙治罪條例偵辦，第一區養護工程處也將針對林姓工程司所經辦過的道路挖掘申請案件，做進一步檢視，了解是否有其他案件涉嫌收賄或有異常情事。