Singaporeans in fear after maid's hanging

Singaporeans in fear after maid's hanging

MANILA (AFP): Singapore nationals have stepped up security and
some even left the Philippines because of the controversy over a
Filipina maid who was hanged in their country, sources said
yesterday.

Many fear a violent backlash following Friday's hanging of 42-
year-old mother of four, Flor Contemplacion, who was convicted of
murdering another domestic worker and a five year old boy.

Singapore went ahead with the hanging despite pleas for
clemency, or a stay of execution, from Philippines President
Fidel Ramos and other leaders and groups.

Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong postponed a scheduled
visit to Manila on April 10-12.

Hotel officials, who asked not to be identified, said
Singapore guests in luxury hotels in Manila and the central
resort city of Cebu were staying in their rooms or not straying
far from the establishments.

The Singapore-owned Harbor View hotel in Cebu received two
bomb threats on Saturday.

An employee of one five-star hotel in Manila said all
Singaporean guests hastily checked out on Friday and left the
country. The Cebu office of Keppel Shipyards Inc. as well as
other Singaporean-owned firms have beefed up security.

Thousands of people flocked to San Pablo, south of Manila, to
view the body of Contemplacion, who was convicted in 1991.

Her remains were brought to Manila on Saturday. Amelita Ramos,
wife of the Philippines president, led hundreds of sympathizers
at Manila airport.

"Home is the heroine," hailed a front-page banner headline in
the Philippine Star newspaper.

Many commentaries have said Contemplacion was innocent and was
not given a fair trial. Singapore has rebutted such claims. It
has highlighted that she pleaded guilty, was adequately
represented by a lawyer during the trial and an investigation
into late evidence had found nothing new to clear Contemplacion.

But the outpouring of anger continued.

"If we can kick out and insult the Americans, surely we can
insult the Singaporeans whose population and size are just a
fraction of Metro Manila," said columnist Neal Cruz in the
Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Singaporean participants of an orchid show were refused an
audience by the mayor of southern Davao City, news reports said.
Davao officials also asked the foreign office to warn
Singaporeans that they are not welcome in the city.

Governor Vicente Emano of Misamis Orential province said he
will refuse to entertain any Singapore businessmen. He ordered
that flags be flown at half mast as a sign of mourning.

The annual Philippine-Singapore joint military exercises ended
on Friday in subdued ceremonies after Filipino and Singaporean
soldiers ignored each other after the hanging, according to news
reports.

A law student at Manila's downtown university belt told AFP
she saw graffiti on the walls saying "Shoot any Singaporean."

The Singapore Airlines office in the Makati financial district
of Manila hung a banner saying the building was Filipino-owned
and there were no Singaporeans inside after receiving bomb
threats, tenants said.