President Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday he has received the resignation letter of Prosecutor-General Chen Tsung-ming and will decide whether to accept Chen's offer as soon as possible. If the top prosecutorial post is vacated, Ma said a senior prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors Office will be named to serve as acting prosecutor-general because the Legislative Yuan is now in winter recess and cannot endorse his nomination of Chen's replacement. Chen tendered his resignation Tuesday after the watchdog Control Yuan impeached him over dereliction of official duties and lack of integrity earlier that day. Responding to press inquiries after giving an interview to CTV, Ma said Chen's impeachment and resignation came as a surprise to him. 'But anyway, I respect the Control Yuan's execution of its constitutionally prescribed power,' he added. Ma said the top prosecutor should have high moral integrity and professional credentials in order to lead the country's prosecutorial personnel. Asked whether a collective request by all incumbent members of the Special Investigation Division under the Supreme Prosecutors Office to return to their original posts in the wake of Chen's resignation will affect investigations of corruption charges against former President Chen Shui-bian, Ma said he needs to consult with Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng. Nevertheless, Ma said he believes all prosecutors in charge of the former president's cases will fulfill their official duties in appropriately dealing with those cases. 