TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), a controversial political figure who led the island democracy from 2000 to 2008, revealed in a Facebook post on Monday (June 16) that he had undergone surgery to remove eight polyps after experiencing several days of bloody stools. Chen, 74, is currently awaiting pathology results following the procedure at Jiannren Hospital (建仁醫院), a medical facility in southern Taiwan.
Dr. Liu Chung-hsuan (劉鐘軒), director of the Department of Gastroenterology at Jiannren Hospital, performed the endoscopic procedure, according to Chen's social media statement. The former president's health has been visibly declining over recent years, with medical observers noting his public appearances have been characterized by increasingly severe hand tremors and pronounced speech difficulties. These neurological symptoms have been a subject of ongoing medical attention since his release from prison.
Chen holds the distinction of being Taiwan's first democratically elected president to be convicted on corruption charges, a case that deeply divided the island nation along political lines. He received a 20-year prison sentence in 2009 for bribery and money laundering offenses committed during his presidency, but has remained outside prison walls since January 2015, when authorities granted him medical parole due to his deteriorating neurological condition. His supporters have long maintained the charges were politically motivated, while critics view his conviction as a milestone in Taiwan's anti-corruption efforts. ◼
