So… Taiwan had no trouble escorting Chocolate from Taiwan this evening. Odd, then, that Taiwan was yet again unable to enforce its Supreme Court’s order that the little Brazilian boy return to Brazil this morning to live with his grandmother.
Dammit - you’ve just given me a craving for chocolate-coated Brazil nuts. Funny how the mind works. 
Nothing odd here- as usual the rule of law and the authority of the court has been superseded by administrative decree. At least they’re consistent!
Did anyone see any TV footage of what happened at the airport last night? The report I heard about the Chocolate saga on the radio this morning mentioned that he was very angry before he boarded his flight, but didn’t elaborate on how he vented his anger. I didn’t get to see the TV news until this afternoon, and there was nothing on this story then. Did he finally shed the trademark smile for a scowling, cursing farewell to this island? One could hardly blame him if he did.
Come on, getting your ex-wife (whom you presumably have not consummated the marriage with since you say you are not bi) to buy you a house in the States and give you NT$50,000 a month pin money is a nice landing package. And I would assume there could be more, given that she is worth NT$1 billion, according to reports.
the day i am an entertainer have syphilis and get involved with an insane brouhaha with a local woman is the day i won’t complain when i get deported.
Earlier, he had threatened to dish out some dirt if he were expelled, but the whole exit was very subdued.
He cried just like an experienced Taiwanese politician would, mumbled something about having lived here for 16 years and this - not the US - being his country.
He also said he would try and come back.
I also heard reports about him saying the first thing he would do after arriving in the US, was applying for a divorce, but TV didn’t show that.
Well, I guess the TV stations must now be looking for someone else to jump at.
Dont be so sure that he will get any of this. Just because she announces this package doesnt mean she will follow thru with it. Knowing how the rich taiwanese are here, I’d be surprised if choco gets anything from her without a long, drawn out fight.
And nor should he, in my opinion.
I object to the idea that anyone, man or woman, should be entitled to grab a share of another person’s property just by virtue of having been married to that person. If the claimant has made sacrifices as a result of the marriage or contributed to the spouse’s acquisition of property, or if there are children to be taken care of, then fair enough, that should be reflected in appropriate property transfer and/or maintenance arrangements, decided and ordered by a court if necessary. But in the case of an all-but-sham marriage that only lasted a few months, I see no reason at all why the party whose wrongful actions have caused the marriage to fail should be able to get his hands on any of the aggrieved spouse’s property when the marriage is terminated.
If he took advantage of the marriage to wheedle generous gifts out of his wife, or otherwise managed to salt away part of her fortune by legal means, then good for him. But now that their relationship has come to an end except for the formalities of the granting of a divorce decree, he should not by any means be able to squeeze any money or property out of her (no matter how well she may be able to afford it). What’s hers is hers and what’s his is his, and that’s how it should remain.
That is one of the most thoughtful statements I’ve ever read here at Forumosa. It’s almost dignified.:!: I agree 100%.
Off topic, but I wonder who pays for his airfare in this case. I can’t imagine that he would willfully pay it. But, I can’t imagine the Taiwanese government paying for it either. If no one pays, I can’t imagine the airline letting him board. Or has this already been answered? I didn’t read the entire 13-page thread.
Dont be so sure that he will get any of this. Just because she announces this package doesnt mean she will follow through with it. Knowing how the rich Taiwanese are here, I’d be surprised if choco gets anything from her without a long, drawn out fight.[/quote]
I find that the rich everywhere are about the same. They became wealthy because they simply want the money more than others and are willing to behave in exceptionally ugly ways to get and keep their wealth. No need to think that rich Taiwanese are different to the wealthy in other places.
However, as pointed out so eloquently above, Chocolate doesn’t deserve the money.
Cheers.
Isn’t it so that if you can’t pay your airfare they keep you at the San Shia detention center until someone pays for it?
employment services act, article 60 sez your employer, through a 'stabilization" fund pays for the ticket.
i have asked around if such is followed and all i get are shrugs.
In all of this story, the focus has been on Chocolate, and as the foreignor, and seemingly transgressor, so maybe it should, but now that he is gone, what is happening to her.
I hear no mention of her being prosecuted for this sham marriage, even though it is an offense, punishable by up to one year in “the pokey”.
I assume that in true Taiwan tradition the case will be paid off, or paid up under the table!!!
Just one more thing: I wonder if Chocolate received, or would have received if he’d sought it, anything at all in the way of advice or assistance from AIT? Should US citizens expect to receive a helping hand from their country’s local quasi-embassy in such circumstances?
While the situation was entirely different, one thing that impressed me about the Iruan Ergui case was the role played by the head of Brazil’s representative office in Taiwan. I thought Mr. Pinto conducted himself impeccably in extremely difficult circumstances, and did as much as could possibly have been asked of him to assist in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
From AIT’s website:
[quote]If you are arrested?
Contact AIT immediately, or request that the police do so. In Taipei, the AIT telephone number is (02) (02)2162-2000, ext. 2306; the number for AIT’s Kaohsiung office is (07) 238-7744. An AIT Duty Officer is on call 24 hours a day, and can be reached at any time in an emergency.
Do not sign anything that you do not understand. Suspects have the right to remain silent and to refuse to sign documents.
Consider hiring an attorney. Suspects have the right to an attorney, and AIT strongly encourages American citizens who have been arrested to exercise this right. AIT maintains a list of English-speaking attorneys practicing in Taiwan, which we provide to arrested Americans (click here for attorneys in northern and central Taiwan; click here for attorneys in Kaohsiung). AIT’s attorney list should be used as a reference only; AIT cannot act as your attorney, nor can we recommend a particular lawyer.
AIT’s role in the process
AIT’s primary responsibility throughout the process is to ensure that Americans who are arrested or incarcerated are 1) treated in a manner that is consistent with international standards, and 2) accorded the same rights as local citizens. AIT will intercede with local authorities to protest any mistreatment or abuse, if the American under arrest or in detention so requests. AIT will also intercede to ensure that Americans in detention receive required medical attention or medication.
Upon notification of the arrest of an American citizen, an AIT officer will attempt to visit the American within 48 hours. During the first visit, the officer will provide the arrested American with a list of attorneys and information about the Taiwan legal system. The officer will also, if specifically authorized by the American under arrest, notify family members, friends, or the American’s attorney. (The Privacy Act of 1974 places severe restrictions on what information can be released to outside parties. Except in extreme emergencies, AIT will provide information about an arrested or detained American only after an AIT representative has received written authorization.)
AIT’s American Citizen Services will continue to monitor the case as it progresses and will remain in contact with the American ?and his or family, as requested ?through the various stages of the process. An AIT officer will, if appropriate, visit the American in the detention facility before trial, will act as an observer at the trial if requested, and will visit the American in prison periodically if the American is convicted an required to serve time.
ait.org.tw/en/uscitizens/arrest.asp
[/quote]
Though deportation may be considered a more severe sanction than incarceration in many cases (and in Chocolate’s case, almost certainly was), it doesn’t seem to fall within the ambit of AIT’s conditions for providing assistance.
If they did accept that it was incumbent upon them to provide such assistance in his case, I wonder how well they met their “primary responsibility” of ensuring that Chocolate was “1) treated in a manner that is consistent with international standards, and 2) accorded the same rights as local citizens.” I would say that his treatment at least fell some way short of the first of those tests.
Assuming that he contacted them.
And if he didn’t contact them, but would have been entitled to some meaningful assistance had he done so, then he can’t complain too much about the way things turned out.