Su Chen-ching Sentenced to 10 years, Liao Kuo-tung 8.5 Years 立委集體涉貪案 蘇震清判10年.廖國棟8年半

Four of the lawmakers were charged with allegedly taking bribes from Former Pacific Distribution Investment Company chairman Lee Heng-lung. The Taipei district court made the ruling on July 6.

In 2020, multiple legislators were accused of taking bribes exceeding NT$30 million from Former Pacific Distribution Investment Co chairman Lee Heng-lung. Taipei prosecutor indicted a total of 12 people, including several former and current legislators, as well as their respective office managers, pursuant to the Anti-Corruption Act. After nearly two years, the ruling was made on July 6 in the first instance. Lee Heng-lung was sentenced to one year and two months, with five-year probation, all legislators have been found guilty.

Huang Pei-cheng, Spokesperson, Taipei District Court: “He (Su Chen-ching) refused to acknowledge his crimes and justified his dealings with Lee Heng-lung as loans, or simply address it as voter services. These excuses were deemed as bad attitudes after the commission of a crime and thus a heavier sentence should be sought.”

Former DPP legislator Su Chen-ching received a sentence of 10 years for taking bribes totaling $25.8 million. KMT Legislator Liao Kuo-tung, who allegedly appeared personally with his office manager and received NT$8 million in bribes, was sentenced to eight years and six months. In addition, Chen Chao-ming, also a KMT legislator, allegedly received NT$1 million in bribes,  and was sentenced to seven years and eight months. Meanwhile, former Party Chairman of New Power Party Hsu Yung-ming, allegedly agreed to receive NT$2 million in bribes, and was sentenced to seven years and four months. As to their respective office managers, each was sentenced anywhere from not guilty to five years.
 

Reporter asked Ting Fu-hua, Liao Kuo-tung's Office Manager: “Can you accept this ruling?”

According to the prosecutor's investigation, the key person Lee Heng-lung, sought support from lawmakers as he fought to regain ownership of the department store chain Pacific SOGO. Lee bribed several legislators through his middleman such as Kuo Ke-ming to pressure the Ministry of Economic Affairs to amend an act that could allow him to maintain control over Pacific SOGO. After adjudication by the court, Lee Heng-lung and Kuo Ke-ming already admitted to the crime; however, none of the legislators involved pleaded guilty.

Su Chen-ching, Former DPP Legislator: “I deeply regret today's ruling. The court misinterpreted my dealings with Lee Heng-lung as bribery but we merely have very simple loan dealings. This is contrary to the facts and the evidence. I have decided to file an appeal in accordance with the law.”

Another case derived from this legislator bribery case, namely, non-partisan legislator Chao Cheng-yu, was accused of pressuring the Construction and Planning Agency to amend the Yangmingshan National Park land category, and the prosecutors found NT$9.2 million cash in his house. However, the court determined that the source of the asset is unknown, thus he was deemed not guilty in this aspect. For evasion of tax, he was sentenced to six months, which could be commuted to fines. The legislators, after learning of the ruling, all grieved for the unfairness and revealed that they'd appeal. 

國會前年爆發的跨黨派立委集體收賄案，前太平洋流通董事長李恆隆，涉嫌向立委行賄，超過3000萬元，震驚全台，檢方依貪汙等罪，起訴多名前任及現任立委，和各自的辦公室主任等12人，案經法院近2年審理，6日一審判決結果出爐，除了李恆隆被判刑1年2月、緩刑5年，所有立委通通有罪。

台北地院發言人黃珮禎表示：「他（蘇震清）犯後否認犯行，並且用就是說跟李恆隆之間的往來是借款這樣子，或者是說是單純的選民服務這種言詞來辯解，認為說犯後的態度不佳，應該要從重量刑。」

涉貪金額高達2580萬，前民進黨立委蘇震清，被判處10年刑期；涉嫌親自出面和辦公室主任共收取800萬賄款的國民黨立委廖國棟，判刑8年6月，涉案的藍營立委還有陳超明，涉貪100萬元，判刑7年8月，而前時代力量黨主席徐永明，涉嫌期約賄賂200萬，則是判處7年4月，至於，各自辦公室主任，分別判處無罪到5年刑期。

記者問廖國棟辦公室主任丁復華：「你覺得這個結果，你可以接受嗎？」

因為檢調查出，關鍵人物李恆隆，為了奪回SOGO經營權，透過白手套郭克銘等人，行賄多名立委，協助《公司法》修法，並舉辦公聽會，施壓經濟部官員，法院審理後，李恆隆和郭克銘，已經自白坦承犯行，但涉案立委，全都沒有認罪。

前民進黨立委蘇震清說：「本來就是針對今天的一個法院判決，我是真的深表遺憾，剛剛在法院的判決，認為說我跟李恆隆之間，我們事實上是單純的借貸關係，它曲解了我是去索賄這跟所謂的事實顯示，跟所謂的這個證據，都是明顯的不符，我決定依法要提出上訴。」

這起立委收賄案，更爆出案外案，無黨籍立委趙正宇，被指控施壓營建署，變更陽明山國家公園土地地目，家中還被檢調搜索出920萬元不明現金，不過，法院認定財產來源不明，獲判無罪；逃漏稅部分，判刑6月可易科罰金。多名立委，得知判決結果後，紛紛喊冤，表達會再上訴。