TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Pingtung prosecutors are investigating the recall process of DPP Legislator Saidhai Tahovecahe (伍麗華), with the recall campaign leader detained and two defendants released on bail Wednesday night. 

The recall probe expanded to KMT officials in Pingtung on Wednesday, per CNA, after similar reports in Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. The allegations involve signature forgery, particularly deceased people listed as signatories in the first phase of recalls. 

Saidhai Tahovecahe said that 1,521 signatures for her recall had been rejected due to irregularities, with 202 names belonging to dead people. In addition, 140 names did not belong to Indigenous people, disqualifying them from voting in her recall.

On Wednesday, the Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office summoned 11 KMT officials for questioning, including three suspects and eight witnesses. The leader of the recall campaign in Pingtung, Zhang Fang-shuo (張芳碩), was detained on Wednesday night. 

Prosecutors said Zhang was suspected of document forgery under the Criminal Code, illegal use of personal information under the Personal Data Protection Act, forgery without consent under the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, and false proposals. Citing a risk of collusion and destruction of evidence, prosecutors requested incommunicado detention. 

In addition, two defendants, surnamed Gao (高) and Lian (連), were released on bail of NT$100,000 (US$3,318). The remaining eight witnesses were allowed to leave.