Taoyuan City Councilor Chang Chao-liang Detained for Bribery and Illegal Construction Facilitation
Taoyuan City Councilor Chang Chao-liang (DPP) is suspected of accepting bribes to help a developer illegally build a warehouse on agricultural land and lobbying a former Agriculture Bureau section chief to prevent its demolition. The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office requested detention, and the court ordered 2 months of pre-trial detention with a ban on communication.
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- 📰 Published: June 10, 2026 at 22:08
- 🔍 Collected: June 10, 2026 at 22:17 (9 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 10, 2026 at 22:18 (1 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency, Taoyuan, 10th) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taoyuan City Councilor Chang Chao-liang is suspected of accepting bribes to assist a developer in illegally constructing a warehouse on agricultural land. He allegedly lobbied the then-section chief of the Agricultural Management Division of the Taoyuan City Government's Agriculture Bureau to prevent the illegal structure from being reported and demolished. The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office today requested the court to detain Chang and the former section chief on charges of corruption, and the court approved the detention.
According to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office's investigation, between 2021 and 2023, Chang used his positions as an advisor to the Taoyuan City Government and as a city councilor to accept bribes from a developer. He assisted the developer in illegally building a warehouse on agricultural land and lobbied the then-section chief of the Agricultural Management Division to prevent the illegal warehouse from being reported and demolished, allowing it to be used. The Taoyuan Prosecutors Office conducted a search yesterday and requested the court to detain Chang and the former section chief on corruption charges early this morning.
The Taoyuan District Court held a detention hearing this evening. Chang denied the charges, but based on witness testimonies, screenshots of chat records from the seized mobile phone, and other evidence, and given that Chang admitted to knowing the steel-structured building was not for agricultural use yet still agreed to help disguise it as a legal agricultural material shed or greenhouse to achieve the illegal purpose of building a furniture warehouse, the court found his defense untenable and deemed the suspicion of his crime to be substantial.
The court stated that the case involves many participants, and important facts such as the criminal conspiracy and division of roles between Chang, the former section chief, and potential accomplices require further investigation. Considering that Chang was formerly an advisor to the Taoyuan City Government and is currently a Taoyuan City Councilor, and that the case involves a felony with a minimum statutory sentence of 5 years, the court ordered his detention for 2 months starting today, along with a ban on visits, communication, and receiving objects.
Regarding the former section chief, the court noted that while he expressed remorse, his statements essentially denied the charge of malfeasance for personal gain. Despite witness testimonies and evidence from Chang's seized phone, the former section chief failed to clearly explain his failure to act according to the law, claiming during interrogation that he had forgotten or that it was merely a疏忽 (negligence), which the court deemed an attempt to downplay his responsibility.
The court found that based on witness testimony, the suspicion against the former section chief is substantial, and the case requires further investigation, with the possibility of other public officials being involved. Considering the former section chief's current position as a Specialist at the Taoyuan City Government's Agriculture Bureau, which is not a low-ranking post, and the severity of the crime (minimum 5-year sentence), the court found reasonable grounds to believe he might collude with accomplices or destroy evidence. The court ordered his detention for 2 months starting today, along with a ban on visits, communication, and receiving objects. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150610
According to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office's investigation, between 2021 and 2023, Chang used his positions as an advisor to the Taoyuan City Government and as a city councilor to accept bribes from a developer. He assisted the developer in illegally building a warehouse on agricultural land and lobbied the then-section chief of the Agricultural Management Division to prevent the illegal warehouse from being reported and demolished, allowing it to be used. The Taoyuan Prosecutors Office conducted a search yesterday and requested the court to detain Chang and the former section chief on corruption charges early this morning.
The Taoyuan District Court held a detention hearing this evening. Chang denied the charges, but based on witness testimonies, screenshots of chat records from the seized mobile phone, and other evidence, and given that Chang admitted to knowing the steel-structured building was not for agricultural use yet still agreed to help disguise it as a legal agricultural material shed or greenhouse to achieve the illegal purpose of building a furniture warehouse, the court found his defense untenable and deemed the suspicion of his crime to be substantial.
The court stated that the case involves many participants, and important facts such as the criminal conspiracy and division of roles between Chang, the former section chief, and potential accomplices require further investigation. Considering that Chang was formerly an advisor to the Taoyuan City Government and is currently a Taoyuan City Councilor, and that the case involves a felony with a minimum statutory sentence of 5 years, the court ordered his detention for 2 months starting today, along with a ban on visits, communication, and receiving objects.
Regarding the former section chief, the court noted that while he expressed remorse, his statements essentially denied the charge of malfeasance for personal gain. Despite witness testimonies and evidence from Chang's seized phone, the former section chief failed to clearly explain his failure to act according to the law, claiming during interrogation that he had forgotten or that it was merely a疏忽 (negligence), which the court deemed an attempt to downplay his responsibility.
The court found that based on witness testimony, the suspicion against the former section chief is substantial, and the case requires further investigation, with the possibility of other public officials being involved. Considering the former section chief's current position as a Specialist at the Taoyuan City Government's Agriculture Bureau, which is not a low-ranking post, and the severity of the crime (minimum 5-year sentence), the court found reasonable grounds to believe he might collude with accomplices or destroy evidence. The court ordered his detention for 2 months starting today, along with a ban on visits, communication, and receiving objects. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150610
FAQ
What charges might Councilor Chang face?
He is likely to face charges under the Anti-Corruption Act for bribery and abuse of public office.
What is the outlook for this case?
Further investigation during the detention period may reveal the involvement of other officials or new evidence.
Why is this case significant?
It involves systematic corruption between an incumbent councilor and a senior administrator, impacting trust in local governance and the judiciary in Taiwan.