台方轉軚仍卸責港府 陳同佳案防再生枝節

<轉載自2019年10月23日 明報 社評>

港人陳同佳赴台自首一事峰迴路轉，之前信誓旦旦「不會上當」的台北當局，突來一記「華麗轉身」，強調從來「沒有拒收問題」，今天將派檢警赴港押解陳同佳。政治不應凌駕公義，殺人是萬國公罪，還受害人及家屬公道乃應有之義，陳同佳案關鍵罪證在台灣，港方未能繩之於法，現在台北當局轉軚，我們希望案件不會再橫生枝節，好讓司法正義得到伸張，既讓死者安息，亦讓家人釋懷。台灣大選臨近，香港早已淪為台灣政客「政治消費」的「提款機」。台北當局同意「收人」，不代表政治操作就此罷休，港府不能太過天真，以為圍繞陳同佳案的風波已告一段落。

香港變「政治提款機」 台方政治操作未停

陳同佳涉在台灣謀殺港人女友，一屍兩命，其後潛逃返港。由於兇案所有重要證罪均在台灣，加上香港沿用普通法，奉行「屬地原則」 ，對發生在台灣的殺人案鞭長莫及，最終只能以在港洗黑錢罪名給陳同佳定罪。陳同佳今天刑滿出獄，各方都關注他的去向。

自從上周陳同佳表示希望赴台自首，台港兩地一直議論紛紛，港府表示願意配合及提供協助，惟台北當局擺出不合作姿態，要求香港必須承諾與台灣締訂司法互助協議，台方才會「收人」。台灣陸委會高談陳同佳「被自首」，將事件描繪成是政治陰謀，「台灣政府不會接受來自香港的逃犯」；行政院長蘇貞昌更稱，北京和香港企圖將陳同佳送來台灣，藉以「合理化修例」，「我們不會上當」，台灣不會讓「逃犯隨便趴趴走」。言猶在耳，台北當局忽然「華麗轉身」，陸委會宣布，台方今天將派檢警赴港「押解疑犯」。

台北當局最新口徑是指控港府不負責任，「放棄司法管轄權」，「任由殺人疑犯逍遙法外」，台方唯有仗義出手，云云。有關說法明顯混淆視聽。港府處理修例風波縱有諸般過失不是，可是香港司法機構無法處理一宗發生在台灣的謀殺案，乃是本港法律界所公認，台灣總統蔡英文揚言「相關的事證都在香港，港府卻拒絕行使管轄權」，未免匪夷所思。台方聲稱港府應負起責任，不能讓陳同佳出獄後有逃亡可能，邏輯更加奇怪。法治社會不可能將釋囚任意繼續拘留，只有滿腦子專制思想、不重視法治的人，才會有這種離譜想法。台北當局堅稱台方立場「未變過」，一直是「陳同佳來台即予逮捕」，惟有立委指出，之前台方移民署明言將陳同佳列入入境管制名單。所謂「入境即予逮捕」的說法，帶有「語言偽術」味道。

港府漠視民意強推《逃犯條例》修訂，引發反修例風暴，台灣藍綠陣營都承認，總統蔡英文在事件中政治得益不小，明年初大選形勢看好。台北當局透過密集政治操作，撈得大量政治本錢，當地輿論甚至形容，香港已經成為台灣綠營的「政治消費」的提款機，撳多少有多少。然而這次台北當局有關陳同佳的政治操作，卻似乎惹來反彈，除了藍營以子之矛攻子之盾，質疑蔡英文政府自閹司法主權，背離司法正義，一些法律界人士以至不少民眾亦覺得，殺人犯來台自首，沒理由不開門「收人」。

大選臨近綠營施壓 港府須有應對準備

政治牌操作要靈光，離不開搶佔「道德高地」，利用民情製造同仇敵愾氛圍。台北當局突允收人，台北市長柯文哲冷嘲熱諷，「不（繼續反修例）操作很可惜啊」。台北當局箇中有何政治盤算，只有他們最清楚，不過有一點可以肯定，當「香港反送中，台灣反送台」一類順口溜開始在台灣社會不脛而走，對蔡英文政府並非好事。 較諸香港高官和政客，台灣政客的政治觸覺和敏感度，可說高出一大截，倘若覺得急需「政治止蝕」，也不會介意放下身段，「今天的我打倒昨天的我」。

陳同佳赴台自首，台方若以平常心處理，事情完全可以作為一宗純刑事案件，依法正常在司法層面了結，然而總統大選臨近，台北當局會否輕易放下香港這部「政治提款機」，仍是一大疑問。無論是先前拒絕陳同佳入境，還是現在轉軚讓他投案，台北當局着眼最多的似乎都是政治盤算，現時只能期望台方以案論案，不要再讓陳同佳案橫生枝節，妨礙司法公義伸張。

台灣政界精於政治操作，今天台方警員如何在港「押解」陳同佳，本身便要密切留意。港府深夜已表明，台灣無權派員到港「押解疑犯」。 港府一心希望以2016年荃灣石棺案疑犯移交方式處理陳同佳，由台方警員低調陪同陳登機赴台，然而台方有何操作打算，又是另一回事。誰也不敢擔保，台方會否搞一些政治小動作令港府難堪，甚至令陳同佳赴台自首安排臨場拉倒。台北當局要求港府與台灣簽訂司法互助協議，當中包含大量政治計算，牽涉到兩岸關係和「一中原則」，就算陳同佳赴台自首，相信台北當局也不會就此罷休放棄操作，不排除台方會不斷指控港府「不合作」、未有提供所謂「關鍵證據」，向港方施壓，港府必須有應對準備。

Taiwan's U-turn on Chan's case

Hongkonger Chan Tong-kai's proposed self-surrender to Taiwan has taken another twist. The Taiwan authorities, which vowed that they would not "take the bait" the other day, have done a sudden, splendid U-turn, stressing that "there has never been a refusal to arrest Chan". They are to send police charged with prosecution to Hong Kong to escort Chan today (October 23).

Chan's alleged murder of his girlfriend, also a Hongkonger, resulted also in the death of the baby she was expecting. He then fled to Hong Kong. All the important evidence of crime concerning the murder case is in Taiwan. Furthermore, Hong Kong has a common law system and adheres to the "territoriality principle", meaning that it can do nothing about a murder case that happened in Taiwan. Ultimately the Hong Kong authorities managed to convict Chan of money laundering only. Having served his term of imprisonment, Chan is to be released today. All eyes are on his next move.

Chan's indication of his willingness to surrender himself to the Taiwan authorities last week has generated a buzz of discussion in Taiwan and Hong Kong. While the Hong Kong government expressed its willingness to act accordingly and provide assistance, the Taiwan authorities adopted a stance of non-cooperation. Talking loftily about Chan's so-called "reluctant self-surrender", Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council depicted the whole affair as a political conspiracy, demanding that the Hong Kong government promise to sign a mutual legal assistance agreement if it wanted the Taiwanese government to remand Chan in Taiwan's custody. Su Tseng-chang, president of the Executive Yuan, even said that Beijing and Hong Kong were trying to send Chan to Taiwan so as to "justify the amendments", that "we will not fall into the trap", and that Taiwan would not "let a fugitive fool around". Such words still ringing in the ear, the Taiwan authorities have suddenly done a "splendid U-turn", with the Mainland Affairs Council announcing that the Taiwan authorities will send their police tasked with prosecution to Hong Kong to "escort the suspect" today.

The Hong Kong government pressed ahead with the amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance in complete disregard of public opinion, sparking the anti-amendment storm. Both the blue and green camps admit that President Tsai Ing-wen has derived considerable political benefit from the incident, which has put her campaign for the presidential election early next year in a favourable position. Through intense political manoeuvring, the Taipei authorities have earned a lot of political capital. Some observers in Taiwan have even described Hong Kong as an ATM machine for the green camp's "political spending" with an unlimited overdraft facility. However, the Taipei authorities' political operation on Chan seems to have provoked a backlash. Apart from the blue camp, which has turned the Tsai administration's weapon against itself by accusing it of doing away with its judicial autonomy and departing from judicial justice, some people in the legal sector as well as many ordinary citizens also believe that there is no reason why Taiwan should not open its door and accept a murder suspect's self-surrender.

If the Taiwan authorities handle Chan's self-surrender in a normal manner, the matter can be regarded as a purely criminal case and handled at a judicial level in accordance with the law. However, as the presidential election is approaching, it is highly questionable whether the Taipei authorities are willing to give up this "political ATM machine" easily. From refusing to allow Chan to enter Taiwan previously to making a U-turn and allowing him to turn himself in, the Taipei authorities seem to care more about political manoeuvring. At this stage, it can only be hoped that the Taiwan authorities will treat the criminal case as it is and that they will not create any more twists and turns to Chan's case that prevent judicial justice from being served.

台方轉軚仍卸責港府 陳同佳案防再生枝節

港人陳同佳赴台自首一事峰迴路轉，之前信誓旦旦「不會上當」的台北當局，突來一記「華麗轉身」，強調從來「沒有拒收問題」，今天將派檢警赴港押解陳同佳。

陳同佳涉在台灣謀殺港人女友，一屍兩命，其後潛逃返港。由於兇案所有重要罪證均在台灣，加上香港沿用普通法，奉行「屬地原則」，對發生在台灣的殺人案鞭長莫及，最終只能以在港洗黑錢罪名給陳同佳定罪。陳同佳今天刑滿出獄，各方都關注他的去向。

自從上周陳同佳表示希望赴台自首，台港兩地一直議論紛紛，港府表示願意配合及提供協助，惟台北當局擺出不合作姿態，要求香港必須承諾與台灣締訂司法互助協議，台方才會「收人」。台灣陸委會高談陳同佳「被自首」，將事件描繪成是政治陰謀。行政院長蘇貞昌更稱，北京和香港企圖將陳同佳送來台灣，藉以「合理化修例」，「我們不會上當」，台灣不會讓「逃犯隨便趴趴走」。言猶在耳，台北當局忽然「華麗轉身」，陸委會宣布，台方今天將派檢警赴港「押解疑犯」。

港府漠視民意強推《逃犯條例》修訂，引發反修例風暴，台灣藍綠陣營都承認，總統蔡英文在事件中政治得益不小，明年初大選形勢看好。台北當局透過密集政治操作，撈得大量政治本錢，當地輿論甚至形容，香港已經成為台灣綠營的「政治消費」的提款機，撳多少有多少。然而這次台北當局有關陳同佳的政治操作，卻似乎惹來反彈，除了藍營以子之矛攻子之盾，質疑蔡英文政府自閹司法主權，背離司法正義，一些法律界人士以至不少民眾亦覺得，殺人犯來台自首，沒理由不開門「收人」。

陳同佳赴台自首，台方若以平常心處理，事情完全可以作為一宗純刑事案件，依法正常在司法層面了結，然而總統大選臨近，台北當局會否輕易放下香港這部「政治提款機」，仍是一大疑問。無論是先前拒絕陳同佳入境，還是現在轉軚讓他投案，台北當局着眼最多的似乎都是政治盤算，現時只能期望台方以案論案，不要再讓陳同佳案橫生枝節，妨礙司法公義伸張。