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Was Flor Contemplacion Innocent as Some May Claim She Was?

2020 became the 25th death anniversary of Flor Contemplacion. The "celebrations" came to a halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was way back in 1995, during the rule of the late former Philippine president, Fidel R. Ramos, when it happened. It did spark a lot of discussion of whether or not Flor was innocent or not. It became a call for national outcry though another case was ongoing at that time namely the Vizconde Massacre case. Poor Hubert Jeffry Pagaspas Webb was falsely accused of a crime he couldn't have committed. Meanwhile, I feel that there was a stark contrast that happened. Why is there a stark contrast? Maybe, it's time to read and find out as we explore another old history topic. This is about Flor's execution in the nation of Singapore. 

I remember talking about trying to turn the Philippines into another Singapore. Some people are still too stuck with bad sentiments regarding Singapore because of the execution of Flor. It's not as if Singapore is the only country with wrongful executions. Yet, Flor was popularized as such like she was a heroine. I heard that former Philippine president Rodrigo R. Duterte did protest. Ramos nearly cut ties with Singapore and then decided it was time to "move on". Ramos has had dealings with the late Lee Kuan Yew and former Singaporean prime minister, Goh Chok Tong. I felt the sentiment was, "What? Do you want us to be like Singapore? Just remember our fellow Filipino, Flor Contemplacion."

The Singaporean account regarding Flor

I decided to go to the Singapore Infopedia website regarding the case of Flor. The site has some sources to defend the whole article. From what was gathered by Singapore Infopedia, a government website, I could think of the following things revealed regarding the case:

  • The Huang couple saw their son and their other maid, Delia Maga, laying dead in the flat in Gangsa Road. Delia wrote a diary that made somebody I knew say that Delia was the true heroine. This happened on May 4, 1991. 
  • Flor claimed that she "fell ill" before the crimes actually happened.
  • Flor's trial took place on January 26, 1993, where she claimed she was tortured.
  • Hours before Flor's execution, another maid named Virginia Custodio Parumog tried to save her life with a claim proven false. 
What's more interesting was that Virginia and another Filipino maid, Emilia Frenilla (who returned home to the Philippines), claimed that they overheard a conversation that could prove Flor innocent. However, it was later proven that Emilia may have overheard the brothers (the father and uncle of the deceased child), which may prove that Delia's death was at the hands of the employer. However, the brothers were usually conversing in a Chinese dialect--a language that Emilia couldn't understand. If she knew Chinese, that would've been more believable. Instead, it was too easily dismissable since she never understood the language.

This was pretty much ignored. A lot of condemnation came in regarding Flor's execution. The stance against the death penalty can be controversial. Some people still prefer life imprisonment over the death sentence. There are indeed records of wrongfully executed people. However, whether one is pro-death penalty or anti-death penalty, the trial would later show that Flor indeed was involved in the crime. 

The Ramos administration did threaten to cut ties with Singapore. It was a long process which can be described as follows by Singapore Infopedia:
Contemplacion’s execution sparked intense public outrage in the Philippines against the Singapore government. Demonstrations were staged outside the Singapore embassy and Singapore flags were burned.29 The embassy reported receiving threats against Singaporeans and Singapore properties in the country30 and there were calls to boycott Singapore products there.31 The Philippine public, who considered Contemplacion a heroine, also directed their anger against their own government, which was criticised for not doing enough to protect the country’s millions of overseas contract workers.32 Fearing for their safety, several Singaporeans working in the Philippines left the country and many who were there on holiday or business cut short their visit.33

All this occurred in the run-up to the Philippine national elections on 8 May 1995, putting severe pressure on the Ramos administration and leading the Philippine government to certain actions that in turn soured diplomatic relations with Singapore.34 A few days after the execution, the Philippines recalled its Singapore ambassador and downgraded its diplomatic representation here to charge d’affaires.35 Singapore responded by recalling its Philippine ambassador as well.36 The April visit of then prime minister Goh Chok Tong to Manila, and joint naval exercises planned for July were also postponed.37

Ramos even threatened to sever diplomatic ties with Singapore if the special commission he had created on 20 March 1995 found Contemplacion to be a victim of injustice.38 The commission’s report, submitted on 6 April, added fuel to the fire with its conclusion that Contemplacion might have been innocent and that the case should be re-opened.39 The Singapore government rejected the findings but agreed to re-examine Maga’s remains.40

Two autopsies later, a joint one in April by experts from both sides and a second one in July by an independent panel,41 the Philippine government finally accepted the original findings of Singapore’s pathologists, and thus began the process of reconciliation between the two countries.42

The big difference between Singapore and the Philippines with its peace and order puts more doubt on the Philippine side. Thankfully, Ramos (and if I'm not wrong, also Duterte) had a change of mind regarding the issue. This would be an incredible contrast. A mockery of a trial known as the Vizconde Massacre was ongoing. We have Jessica Alfaro, the so-called star witness. We also would later have Hubert who was denied his constitutional right. Hubert had gathered evidence for his innocence only to be declared guilty by a retired judge, Amelita G. Tolentino. The public was both busy condemning Hubert for a crime he couldn't have committed while defending a woman who did a crime as innocent.

The findings were finally accepted. Singapore's better justice system and better peace and order build its credibility. Meanwhile, the Philippines' unsolved cases (such as the Vizconde Massacre and the Chiong Sisters case) make you wonder why the real murderers have never been found. I felt sorry for Hubert whom the late Lauro Vizconde still thought of as the main culprit. Hubert's actions when he requested a DNA test can show his possible innocence. Hubert knew he never did the crime. Meanwhile, the presentation of Flor as some kind of martyr (or even a saint) was going on at the same time. 

The "beatification" and even "canonization" of Flor 

The labor group known as Migrante International soon turned Flor into some kind of saint. In 1995, months after the execution, there was the creation of the Tagalog film, The Flor Contemplacion Story, by Director Joel Lamangan. Another film about Delia Maga called Victim No. 1: Delia Maga, Jesus Pray for Us, A Massacre in Singapore was released in May 1995, months before the release of the previously mentioned film. It was soon time to declare Flor as some kind of heroine. Protests such as burning the Singapore flag (which I heard Duterte also admitted to doing it before) were done. There were some groups that all renounced Singapore as a state without mercy. Even today, there are still groups that continue to insist on the innocence of Flor.

I only saw The Flor Contemplacion Story, but not on a big screen. If I'm not wrong, was rather restricted due to the violence it may have. Two of Flor's twin sons, Joel and Jon-Jon, both starred as themselves in the movie. Nora Aunor even sang the song "Kahit Konting Awa" which translates into "Just a Little Pity". The whole film tried to portray Flor as an innocent woman who was wrongfully executed in Singapore. Amazingly, it was still shown even after the autopsy results had proven that the claims of the two maids were wrong. The courts already blew off the testimonies after some reexamination. However, the version of the film kept the testimony of the two maids and The Flor Contemplacion Story was released anyway. I'm amazed the movie was even given an HD redefinition for Pinoy Box Office. Nora herself even joins the rallies of Migrante International in remembering the executed maid.

There are loads of brainless comments whenever there's a video about Flor on YouTube. Are these angry emotional Filipino citizens aware of the broken justice system in their own country? As a Filipino, I feel ashamed just thinking of the contrast. Hubert still gets a lot of people believing he took part in the massacre. I wouldn't be surprised if the same people who believe Hubert was guilty have a good number of those who insist on Flor's innocence. The Singaporean justice system has had its credibility for a long time. Sure, I feel Singapore gets too strict at times and I think that needs to change. Meanwhile, I still like the Singaporean court system with how safe Singapore can be.

Knowing the legal system of Singapore would prove Flor's canonization to be rather stupid. The Philippine legal system is really questionable at best. If you know the whole story of Juan Francisco Gonzales Larrañaga, you'd understand how the Supreme Court (at that time) even messed it up further by not reviewing the case. Innocents were on death row while the real culprits may have left the country. Meanwhile, Singapore has a more thorough justice system followed by much lower corruption than the Philippines. That's why I want to say that those who defend Flor's innocence in spite of empirical data will probably recommend I watch that problematic movie as a source. A film can be full of artistic licenses which can even further muddle everything. 

I guess the best way that those who defend Flor's innocence would be summarized as, "Trust me, bro!" or "Just trust me." Is that even really a valid source to begin with?

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