MOFA to dismiss diplomat facing corruption charges

• By Fang Wei-li / Staff reporter

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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.

Diplomat Paul Chen is pictured in an undated photograph.

Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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.