The Ministry of National Defense states today the 22^nd that regarding “Executive Yuan Minehunter project investigative report” and “Negligence of Minehunter 3^rd phase budget unfreezing written report submitted to Legislative Yuan” cases, an investigative task force was set-up and disciplinary list has been publicized (see attachment).

Ministry of Defense states that Executive Yuan “Minehunter project task force” published project investigative report on Nov. 2, 2017 regarding the execution of the procurement process, and listed 5 major flaws that explicitly need improvement and have reported the personnel to be disciplined to the Executive Yuan.

Ministry of Defense’s task force listed 5 major flaws regarding “Executive Yuan Minehunter project investigative report”, categorized as follows “Pre-bidding phase” “Bidding document regulations” “Choice process” and “Contract fulfillment management” 4 phases and 14 flawed procurement procedures. The respective evidence was gathered and viewed. Violation responsibilities lay with a total of 18 personnel including ex-Navy Commander Chen Yung-kang and with the following departments: Armaments bureau, Defense Procurement Office and other identified Navy Command personnel. Disciplinary actions to be assessed ranged from one Caution to two Demerits.

Furthermore regarding the 2^nd session of the 9^th Legislative Yuan review of Year 106 Defense budget, the conclusion was “Regarding the Minehunter project lagging behind in progress, it affects the propulsion of the case and thereupon 3.8 billion dollars of the budget will be frozen. A written report will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for approval before any undoing of this move”. The Navy reported the contents of said written report to the Ministry on December 22, 2016 and has not revised it according to actual execution, which has led to the Ministry’s Political Affairs Office’s submission of erroneous data to the Legislative Yuan on March 9, 2017. That has in turn led to accusations of deception from the Legislative members. There has been actual negligence from the personnel to be disciplined.

The task force has gathered evidence regarding the contents in question, and discovered that the Navy has not yet made payments at the date of November 17, 2016 when the 2^nd session of the 9^th Legislative Yuan voted in favor of freezing the Minehunter procurement budget. And the previous report proposed to the Ministry on Dec. 22, 2016, and thereafter to the Legislative Yuan on March 9, 2017, was not revised according to actual execution leading to erroneous information. All supervising personnel and reviewers are therefore considered negligent. Chief of Navy Staff Vice Admiral Mei Jia-shu (current Armaments bureau chief) and 9 other personnel will be disciplined, ranging from two Cautions to one Demerit.

The Ministry stresses that this course of disciplinary action is carried out according to Executive Yuan’s investigative report of 5 major flaws and erroneous data submitted to the Legislative Yuan; responsibilities found to lay with personnel involved. Furthermore this case has also been submitted to public investigators for additional investigation. If there is any further evidence of negligences found, further punishment will definitely not be ruled out to maintain Defense reputation.