The Ministry of Finance sacked Chen from state-run Tamco late Tuesday after more than a day of allegations against the chairman of the company supposed to advise banks on the handling of bad debt.

Chen should be forced to hand back the public funds he pocketed, said three activists filing a case with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office Wednesday.

The Tamco chairman reportedly distributed NT$77 million of company profits between himself and 58 other employees. He reportedly pocketed NT$20 million on top of a monthly salary of NT$400,000, more than double Finance Minister Lee Sush-der’s wage.

In addition, he also doled out generous bonuses and trips for employees’ birthdays.

The MOF initially said it would investigate Chen over the next week, but after the outcry, it concluded Tuesday evening that there had been irregular spending and announced the chairman’s removal.

The ministry should bear responsibility for Chen’s doings because like his predecessors at Tamco, he was an MOF appointee, said former DPP party officials. The courts should also demand that Chen return the money he pocketed, they said.

The activists also pointed out that during the 2008 presidential election campaign, Chen served on a support committee for Kuomintang candidate Ma Ying-jeou and was later indicted for vote buying.

It was necessary for the MOF to review all management appointments at companies under its jurisdiction in order to weed out similar cases, they said.