TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) marked Lawyers’ Day on Tuesday by thanking his defense attorneys and vowing never to “surrender or bow down.”

Ko was released Monday after the Taipei District Court granted his release on NT$70 million (US$2.3 million) bail, per CNA. He faces corruption-related charges tied to the Core Pacific City development project.

In a Facebook post, Ko said he wanted to publicly thank his three lawyers, Cheng Shen-yuan (鄭深元), Lu Cheng-i (陸正義), and Hsiao I-hung (蕭奕弘), for their professionalism and persistence. He credited them with helping him endure what he described as one of the darkest periods of his life.

Ko accused prosecutors of “shooting the arrow and drawing the target afterward,” claiming they ignored evidence and used improper questioning. “They uncovered hidden truths, and through cross-examination pulled out the arrows one by one, allowing me to stand firm,” he added.

The former TPP chair said the attorneys gave him hope while supporting public belief in judicial justice. He said their efforts symbolized a broader fight for fairness in Taiwan’s legal system.