The head of Taiwan’s police force on Monday became the third top official offering to quit over the mysterious shooting and wounding of Chen Shui-bian and Annette Lu on the eve of last month’s disputed election.

Chang Si-liang, director-general of Taiwan’s police administration, told reporters that he had submitted his resignation letter and was waiting for it to be approved.

Chang cited the mysterious shooting as his main reason for wanting to step down. “I’m willing to bear all the responsibility myself,’’ he said.

Two other officials, “Interior Minister” Yu Cheng-hsien and security bureau director Tsai Chao-ming, had earlier offered to resign because of the shooting.

Tsai’s resignation has been accepted but Yu’s has not.

A bullet grazed Chen Shui-bian’s stomach and another hit Annette Lu’s knee as they took part in a noisy campaign parade in an open Jeep in the southern city of Tainan.

Police have yet to identify a suspect, and opposition Nationalist candidate Lien Chan has said he will not accept the election results until the shooting is fully investigated.

Many of Lien’s supporters have voiced their suspicion that Chen might have staged the shooting to win sympathy votes.

Chen has denied the shooting was a stunt.

Chen won the March 20 election by a margin of 0.2 percent or only 30,000 votes. He has agreed to Lien’s demand for a ballot recount.

But the two sides have yet to decide how to proceed and Taiwan’s “High Court” has given the two camps until Wednesday to work out a procedure and method for a new tally.

(China Daily April 5, 2004)