TAIPEI -- Hundreds of people held a candlelight vigil outside the presidential office Sunday, marking the anniversary of anti-corruption protests and a failed opposition campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian.

"We came to mark the series of nonviolent protests that demonstrated our people power," said Fan Ke-chin, who organized last year's protests that failed to topple Chen amid graft allegations against his family and inner circle.

To express their continued anger, the protesters lit 300,000 candles arranged to show the Chinese character for "flatulence" to suggest the president talks nonsense, organizers said.

Last year's six-week-long series of sit-ins and marches, at one point saw nearly 1 million demonstrators marching around the presidential office to demand Chen to step down.

During that period, the opposition failed in its bid to bring Chen down. Ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers rallied behind the president, who had maintained his innocence and refused to step down before his term ends in May 2008.

Last year's protests were sparked by the arrest of Chen's son-in-law on insider trading charges. He was later convicted of those charges.

Prosecutors have also indicted Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen, of diverting a secret diplomatic fund for her personal use.