SINGAPORE — March 17, 1995. The Philippines wept when Singapore hanged Filipina overseas worker Flor Contemplacion, a death that apparently unravelled the chilling tragedy behind the government’s labor importation policy.
And quickly the mourning turned to rage over what Filipinos considered a punishment too barbaric and inhumane. Contemplacion was hanged despite the appeals made by the Philippine government through no less than former Philippine President Fidel Ramos himself to postpone the execution.
Contemplacion was convicted of killing fellow Filipina domestic worker Delia Maga and Nicholas Huang, the 3-year old son of Maga’s employer. Contemplacion admitted to committing the murders but later backtracked, saying she made the confession under duress.
Before her execution, two Filipina domestic workers surfaced to say that Huang drowned during an epileptic fit. It gave another angle to the murder of Maga as the statements have pointed to Huang’s father as the one who killed Maga.
In her testimony, Virginia Parumog said “she had shared a cell with Flor and had evidence of her innocence.” The Singapore government declared that Parumog’s claim was “pure fabrication” and proceeded with the execution of Contemplacion.