Clash Over Taisugar Oil Scandal: Tainan Mayor Huang Responds to Prosecutor Chen's 'Political Stance' Remark

The controversy surrounding Chung Li Oil Products continues to escalate, with Taisugar's reporting practices now under scrutiny. Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-cher was sharply criticized by Chen Hung-ta, Director Prosecutor of the High Prosecutors Office, who accused him of speaking nonsense. On the 4th, Huang responded, calling Chen's remarks 'political statements.' Huang stated, 'We have no objection if Chen wants to take a political stance, but bringing political positions into professional discourse is, in my view, overly biased.'

In response, Chen Hung-ta reiterated on the 5th that this is a legal, not a political, issue. Chen emphasized that Huang's characterization of his legally grounded legal analysis as 'political speech' or 'political alignment' is factually inaccurate and distracts from the core of the case.

The sole legal issue, according to Chen, is whether food businesses have a legal obligation to report when they discover upstream food supplies that may endanger consumers' lives, bodies, or health. If such an obligation exists, it must be determined whether it was fulfilled; if not, a legal basis must be provided.

Chen criticized the response that 'the oil division sells gasoline and diesel' as irrelevant to the legal question of food safety reporting obligations, stating these are entirely different legal matters. He stressed that if one claims to 'discuss based on law,' the real questions must be addressed: Does a reporting obligation exist in this case? What is the legal basis? Was it fulfilled according to law? These are the actual points of contention.

Chen argued that reducing legal issues to 'political statements' does not clarify the controversy but instead blurs the focus. In a society governed by the rule of law, legal matters should be answered with law, and facts with facts—not by replacing legal reasoning with political labels.

Chen reiterated that his comments were based on his status as a citizen and his legal expertise, aimed at clarifying legal applicability, not expressing political positions. Differing opinions should be debated with legal reasoning, not political rhetoric. The true focus should be on whether a food safety reporting obligation exists, whether it was fulfilled, and whether food safety risks were properly managed—this, he stated, is the only core of the case.

Additional exclusive reports from Feng Media: · Does Taisugar have a reporting obligation? A public health professor from National Taiwan University analyzes the regulations: 'It's not that simple.' The Ministry of Health and Welfare's interpretation is not the only possible one. · Blue camp councilors file misconduct charges; Taisugar Chairman Wu Ming-chang states: 'Raw materials do not require reporting, legally there is no issue.' · 'I guarantee the Ministry of Health and Welfare already knew about the Taisugar incident!' Ko Wen-je: 'That statement from Kaohsiung City Government has already exposed the truth.'