TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) on Tuesday (Dec. 17) demanded strict punishment for a primary school baseball coach accused of molesting students and enhanced counseling for the victims. Parents alerted the school, the Education Bureau, and police after noticing unusual behavior in their children. Accompanied by a city councilor, the parents held a press conference revealing that police found obscene photos on the coach's phone.
During a regular session of the Taichung City Council, Lu stated that the school immediately banned the coach from campus and terminated his employment following the safety report. Authorities have detained the coach, who was detained incommunicado. Lu suspects more than 25 students may have been affected, as the coach likely interacted with hundreds of children during his tenure. She emphasized the need for a broader investigation and careful handling to prevent further trauma to the children.
The city government has formed a special task force. Lee Shan-chih (李善植), the director-general of the Legal Affairs Bureau (法制局), said the group is offering legal consultations and coordinating with the Taichung branch of the Association for Victims Support (犯罪被害人保護協會) for preservation and compensation procedures. Councilors Yang Ta-hung (楊大鋐) and Liu Shih-chou (劉士州) questioned how the coach, with a criminal record, was hired. Chiang Woei-min (蔣偉民), director of Taichung's Education Bureau, explained that the 2019 hiring system showed no unsuitable candidates.
Liu pointed out a legal gap, noting the coach's 2012 conviction for forcible molestation was not recorded on his Police Criminal Record Certificate (良民證). Mayor Lu highlighted this as a nationwide issue, as suspended sentences not revoked do not appear on the certificate.
