Singapore Hangs Maid, Rejects Innocent Plea

Ignoring protests, Singapore on Friday hanged a Philippine maid convicted of a double murder, bringing renewed criticism of its strict criminal justice system.

Flor Contemplacion, 42, was executed for the 1991 murders of Della Maga--also a Philippine maid--and the woman’s 4-year-old charge, Nicholas Huang.

Contemplacion, who was convicted last April, claimed she was coerced into confessing. The Philippines asked Singapore to delay the execution long enough to review new evidence, but the government said the evidence was false.

At least two maids came forward this week to suggest that the boy drowned during an epileptic fit in a bathtub and his father killed Maga and framed Contemplacion. The government rejected the allegations, but did not specify how the claims were reviewed.