TAIPEI: The "Ministry of Defense" has released a report on citing 142 cases in which military personnel, the majority of them general officers, are suspected of taking bribes or engaging in other forms of corruption.

The report comes at the conclusion of an internal investigation. The 142 military personnel involved in 48 cases will be referred to the Military High Court for further investigation, said defense chief Chen Chao-min.

Of those likely to be charged, 114 were generals and 26 were at the field officer level, Chen said.

Of those 48 cases, 29 involved the purchase of promotions during the Chen Shui-bian administration. There were 19 cases involving other forms of corruption. The defense chief said the investigation demonstrates that his agency is determined to crack down on corruption, root out illegal behavior and clean its own house.

The report was issued in response to a request by Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou in April that the military investigate its personnel and issue a report on its probe within three months.

Ma issued the directive after the emergence of a string of embarrassing corruption scandals and irregularities that tarnished the military's image.

The investigative report, however, did not impress lawmakers.

"The report is irresponsible. It's nothing but a few figures," criticized ruling Kuomintang Legislator Lo Shu-lei, after viewing the report which he noted was only five pages long. The five pages included a press release and an open letter from the defense chief.

According to local media reports in April, members of the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office were investigating some 30 generals promoted by former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian, who left office last May after serving two terms from 2000 to 2008.

The reports said prosecutors will also investigate several hundred lieutenant generals and major generals promoted under Chen's presidency.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 07/09/2009 page2)