Singapore rejects president's appeal for condemned maid
Singapore rejects president's appeal for condemned maid
SINGAPORE (Agencies): The Singapore authorities yesterday rejected Philippine President Fidel Ramos' appeal for clemency for domestic worker Flor Contemplacion, who is to be hanged for murdering a fellow maid and a toddler.
A Singapore government statement said President Ong Teng Cheong has replied to his Philippine counterpart that there was no basis to justify a stay of execution.
The new evidence contained in the recent testimony of a fellow maid Emilia Frenilla in Manila, that Contemplacion's lawyers said could prove her innocence "has no basis," the statement said.
The government did not say when the condemned maid would be executed. Contemplacion's family in the Philippines have said they have been told to collect her body tomorrow. Executions are normally carried out at dawn tomorrow.
In Manila, Philippine officials expressed sadness at the rejection of Ramos' appeal.
"I was really hoping that the decision is to defer the execution. But we are dealing with a sovereign country so we have to recognize that fact," said solicitor general Raul Goco.
"This is a situation wherein a Filipino was judged by a foreign court for a crime that she committed in that foreign shore. What can we do? Although we have done our level best ... we have our own limitations," he added.
Press Under-secretary Honesto Isleta said the authorities had not received an official statement over the decision. He said he will try to reach Ramos, who is in London on the last leg of a tour of the Middle East and Europe that ends today.
"If that is really their decision we cannot do anything because he is just also implementing their laws. We have tried everything we can do within our power, authority and capability. But if they don't want to hear our plea ... well maybe what we can to right now is still bombard them with request."
Meanwhile, human rights groups campaigning for the suspension of a death sentence on Contemplacion yesterday called on Filipinos to join mass protests on the eve of her execution.
The Advocates for Migrants' Rights and Welfare said it was planning a protest march to Singapore's Manila embassy today and an overnight vigil by people who believe Contemplacion was wrongly convicted.
Dozens of supporters held a brief demonstration outside the embassy yesterday, calling on Singapore authorities to review Contemplacion's case.
The Philippine government, church and civic groups as well as international organizations have appealed to Singapore to stay the execution.
Romeo Capulong, counsel of the Contemplacion family, flew to Singapore on Monday carrying evidence he hoped would persuade Singapore to stay the execution and reopen the case.
"I came here to work for the stay of execution, to re-open the case and conduct a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence which proves that Flor Contemplacion was not the person who committed the two murders," Capulong said.
"The immediate goal is an indefinite stay of execution," he said. "I'm still very optimistic."
The maid's four children, who spent an hour with their mother in Singapore's Changi prison on Tuesday, later made an emotional appeal for her freedom at a press conference.
"In my opinion there is no justice to us. Our mother has been condemned to die when we know she is innocent," said Sandrex Contemplacion, 21, the woman's eldest son.
"We still want to be with our mother, we want her to be free. She has been longing to...hug us before we go back," she added.