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.