'The most painful and costly lesson'

Late on January 9th, the trial of 38 defendants in the case involving Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company (Viet A Company) and several ministries, departments, and localities concluded its debate phase. The panel of judges allowed the defendants to make their final statements before deliberating for an extended period and announcing the verdict on the afternoon of January 12th.

Former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long

"It's heartbreaking, there's no justification."

Standing before the witness stand, former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long expressed his gratitude to the agencies, units, and individuals who had submitted petitions for a reduced sentence for him.

Mr. Long expressed remorse, saying he was deeply saddened and distressed by the wrongdoings he had committed. "The defendant has wronged his family, relatives, friends, colleagues, and healthcare workers," said the former minister.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long has been recommended a sentence of up to 20 years in prison for accepting a $2.25 million bribe from Viet A Bank.

The defendant also asserted that the time of the incident was a very difficult and challenging period in the history of the medical field. The defendant and his colleagues were always striving to fight the epidemic and save lives.

"Not for a single moment did I get a break; I was always thinking about maintaining the healthcare system and saving patients' lives," Mr. Long said, and he hoped the court would grant him and his former subordinates leniency.

Former Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh

The next defendant is former Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh. This defendant also expressed remorse and regret, and offered apologies to the General Secretary , the Party, the State, and the people for the wrongdoings he committed.

As a former head of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Ngoc Anh requested the court to apply leniency policies, so that the defendants from this ministry would receive the lowest possible sentences.

As for himself, the former minister felt "deeply saddened, with no justification." He said that wrongdoing must be punished, and he had already paid the price with 581 days of torment during his detention, which would even haunt him after his release. Therefore, the former minister also hoped for leniency.

"The most painful and costly lesson."

As one of the three former Central Committee members on trial, former Hai Duong Provincial Party Secretary Pham Xuan Thang said he was "deeply saddened and regretful" for throwing away 34 years of dedicated self-improvement. He has a profound understanding of his mistakes in directing activities that deviated from the Party and State's guidelines.

Former Secretary of the Hai Duong Provincial Party Committee Pham Xuan Thang

Believing that the wrongdoings had damaged the reputation of the Party, the State, and Hai Duong province, Mr. Thang accepted personal responsibility, considering it the most painful and costly lesson. He also hoped that the court would show leniency to the defendants who were his former employees in Hai Duong.

In his concluding remarks, he urged local leaders to "follow the law in all circumstances, even in urgent situations, to avoid violations." He also requested that the legislative body amend legal regulations to create a legal framework to respond to urgent situations, enabling officials to effectively fulfill their assigned duties.

QUICK VIEW at 8 PM on January 8th: Proposed sentences for 38 defendants in the Viet A case.

Another defendant is Pham Cong Tac, former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology. Mr. Tac stated that he is fully aware of his wrongdoing and accepts full responsibility.

According to the defendant, the research on test kits was a highly specialized topic, taking place in the context of a pandemic. At the time of implementation, there were many shortcomings in the management of intellectual property belonging to the State.

Mr. Tac argued that if the project had been undertaken at the present time, the violations might not have occurred, because the National Assembly has recently enacted the amended Intellectual Property Law.

Defendant Phan Quoc Viet, General Director of Viet A Company

Viet A's General Director: "Let's turn crisis into opportunity."

Standing before the witness stand, Phan Quoc Viet, General Director of Viet A Company, admitted to wrongdoing, stating that he was in charge of all company operations, while the other defendants were merely salaried employees who had no choice but to work and did not benefit from the situation.

Therefore, the defendant Viet requests to take full responsibility to mitigate the punishment for the company's employees; and hopes that the judging panel will consider his contributions versus his wrongdoing when determining the sentence.

In particular, Viet sent a message to the defendants who were employees of Viet A Company, urging them to "be at peace and relaxed," saying, "No one wants to go to prison, but if you happen to be imprisoned, turn this unwanted danger into an opportunity that no one else has, so that you can still contribute to society in the future."

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