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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Commander defends withholding information
Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa speaks at a meeting of the Foreign and National Defense Committee at the Lgislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
By Jason Pan / Staff writer, with CNA
The former commander of a navy “Friendship Flotilla” hit by an outbreak of COVID-19 yesterday admitted to lawmakers that he did not disclose to his superiors all of the reported fevers aboard the vessels during their month-long cruise as required.
However, Rear Admiral Chen Tao-hui （陳道輝） defended the decision, saying that he did not do so because medical officers had diagnosed many of the cases as being caused by the common cold.
Chen said that he would not have deliberately concealed the information if he had suspected that there were COVID-19 infections aboard the three-ship flotilla during its goodwill mission to Palau from March 12 to 15.
He apologized to the 744 crew members of the flotilla and their families, as well as to the public for the health concern the outbreak has caused the nation.
Several infected crew members had returned to their homes across the nation days prior to the diagnoses.
Chen made the comments in a teleconference with lawmakers on the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, who were probing the cause of the case cluster consisting of 28 people so far.
He was unable to attend the session in person because he was in quarantine — along with the rest of the crew.
Chen was on Tuesday removed from his post pending further investigation into responsibility for the infections on the supply ship Panshih （磐石）. His direct superior, Naval Fleet Command commander Vice Admiral Kao Chia-pin （高嘉濱）, was also removed from his post.
Medical records released by the military showed that 148 crew members aboard the Panshih sought medical treatment 226 times in its month-long trip. In addition to five visits for fevers, 10 were for upper respiratory tract symptoms.
However, the navy said that Chen only reported one of the cases to the command.
Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa （嚴德發） told the committee that Chen was removed from his post due to his failure to follow standard disease prevention procedures issued by the armed forces amid the COVID-19 pandemic before the flotilla departed Taiwan.
The Panshih, the Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigate Yueh Fei （岳飛） and the Lafayette-class frigate Kang Ding （康定） set off on the voyage early last month and returned to Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung on April 9. The crew members disembarked on Wednesday last week.
The Panshih only visited Palau and did not make port calls in other countries, Yen said, confirming that the vessels conducted a “special mission” during the voyage.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu （王定宇） and several other lawmakers earlier this week said that the flotilla had been part a special mission.
Asked by lawmakers about the nature of the special mission, Yen said only that it was conducted while at sea.
The goodwill voyage was part of military training for sailors and cadets, he said, declining to comment further.
Navy Command Headquarters Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mei Chia-shu （梅家樹） later clarified an earlier statement by the Ministry of National Defense that no foreigner had boarded any of the ships.
After being shown photographs provided by Taiwanese living in Palau, Mei told lawmakers that the Kang Ding was the only vessel to dock in Palau, while the Panshih and Yueh Fei anchored offshore.
“While docked in Palau, the Kang Ding held a flag-raising ceremony to proudly present our national flag,” Mei said. “As embassy staff, local dignitaries and Taiwanese living in Palau were invited, they boarded the vessel to attend the ceremony.”
Separately yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that 24 Taiwanese at the embassy and technical mission in Palau who received the crew members from the flotilla, as well as 24 local personnel, have tested negative for COVID-19.
Additional reporting by Lin Chia-nan
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
