《TAIPEI TIMES》 MOFA to dismiss diplomat facing corruption charges

健康 國際 地方 蒐奇 影音 財經 娛樂 汽車 時尚 體育 3 C 評論 藝文 玩咖 食譜 地產 專區 TAIPEI TIMES 求職

Diplomat Paul Chen is pictured in an undated photograph.  Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

By Fang Wei-li / Staff reporter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs （MOFA） yesterday condemned a senior diplomat facing corruption charges who has not returned since going on a trip to Japan, and said it is preparing to fire him.

Paul Chen （陳盈連）, who is a senior diplomat at the ministry’s Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs and previously served as director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Guam and Taiwan’s representative to Fiji, was indicted by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office in June on charges of breaching the Anti-Corruption Act （貪污治罪條例）.

He is accused of fraudulently claiming NT$3.43 million （US$107,608） in rent subsidies while stationed in Los Angeles and embezzling public property during his tenure in Guam.

According to a Chinese-language Mirror Media report, Chen pleaded guilty and returned the illicit funds during the investigation.

However, when the Taipei District Court was scheduled to hold a hearing in the middle of last month, it discovered that he had flown to Japan and subsequently traveled to the US.

Chen applied for personal leave to visit Japan from Sept. 12 to 20, but has not returned to Tainan, the ministry said.

The institute made multiple attempts to contact Chen and asked his spouse for assistance, demanding a written explanation by a specified deadline, but received no response, it said.

The ministry said it has therefore officially recorded Chen as being absent without leave for eight days and four hours in accordance with the Civil Service Leave Regulations （公務人員請假規則）.

The ministry said it strongly condemns Chen’s failure to return, his continued absence and his refusal to contact his agency while his legal cases are being processed by judicial authorities.

Civil servants are entrusted by the state and should strictly abide by the law and remain dedicated to their duties, it said.

The ministry will convene a performance review committee in accordance with the Civil Service Performance Evaluation Act （公務人員考績法）, it said.

As Chen has been absent without leave for more than four consecutive days, the committee is expected to issue him two major demerits, which would result in his immediate dismissal, it added.

不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎 點我下載APP 按我看活動辦法

《TAIPEI TIMES》 CBS identifies ‘accomplice’ of alleged Chinese agent

《TAIPEI TIMES》 Strait war risk exaggerated: US official

中國一毛未付？美國退出WHO 北京喊「捐159億」兌現多少竟成謎

iPhone 18 Pro全面降價！上市不到1個月最高便宜4千元

「呂寶」呂彥青G1後援1.1局無失分救援成功！曝一整年完全壓制猛獅心聲

第1次出國就崩潰？達人揭13個菜鳥常犯錯誤 漏帶「它」會很慘

自由爆新聞》民調曝「2族群」棄蔣投沈！萬安警報防線崩潰最大原因是這個

中職》兄弟前進台灣大賽聽牌！ G2獅象先發投手出爐

中職》兄弟進軍台灣大賽聽！ 獅象G2先發投手公布

新聞360》中共擾台美突開嗆藏訊號！蔡英文訪美演說戰狼跳腳翻車了

與馬斯克合作有戲？台積電法說會10/15登場 分析師最想知道的事1次看

中職》古林等級！勝騎士G1超好投 寫兄弟史上首見壯舉