Reform the Philippine Judiciary with a Jury System

The month of August 2014 was crunch time for the advocates of the adoption of Jury System in the Philippines.  With finances dwindling and campaign work outpacing our speed in raising the necessary funds, we decided to let go of some of our volunteers.  It was disheartening but tough decisions had to be made.

Nevertheless, our core group in the Philippines carried on.  Majority of our people in the south of the Philippines have not heard of the jury system but for the meetings held by our dedicated and brave volunteers like Ptr. T in Maguindanao, Mindanao.  This was the place where 57 civilians were massacred for political reasons nearly 5 years ago.   This heinous crime still has to be resolved even though evidence and witnesses abound.  Gold and goons are simply overwhelming for ordinary Filipinos and the inept judiciary.

The weekend, August 16 and 17, WPJI either sponsored or co-sponsored three events to promote the Jury System.  These were held in three different regions in the Philippines _ Regions IVA, V and IX.  At the 1^st Mindanao Indigenous Peoples’ Business Summit in the Muslim area of the country, our National Coordinator, introduced the Jury System and discussed how it can help settle an age-old problem of land grabbing that is prevalent in the region.

On August 26, just over a week later, we held a Jury System Symposium at RMTU in Zambales.  It was endorsed by its University President and was attended by 445 university students who are all registered voters.

Here are comments about the symposium:  from a supporter_

Hi, Daisy & Marlowe-

Thanks for forwarding this. Congratulations! This is an impressive turnout.  Now if we can only replicate this in thousand other places, we're in our way.

I suggest that this photo and text of the symposium be disseminated to the rest of WFA and other e-groups. This will lend credibility to our cause and encourage those who are on the fence to join us.

Cheers,

Gene

... and another one from Fred in the audience, posted in WPJI’s Facebook Account _ HUKOM ANG BAYAN.

"HUKOM (Filipino word for Jury or Judge) is just reviving a practice that is inherent but dormant. I cannot wait to attend the next symposium and learn more!   ... But I praise the bold initiative. Like any move for change, we can start anywhere, just so there is a call to ACTION. Someone said, resistance without action is consent."

Difficult and very demanding it may seem, but as long as Filipinos in the homeland and from all over the world unite,  we can peacefully exercise our sovereign power and make the changes introduced by President Benigno Aquino to get rid of corruption in government  become permanent through the enactment of a NATIONAL JURY LAW.

This jury law shall serve as our master procedural enforcement law at ourmandate judicially without seeking permission from any public official to enforce our sovereign will for a good,honest and efficient government.

Your continued financial support is important to us and to the success of our dream for a righteous and just nation.  Here is a BIG THANK YOU to all our donors.

Links:

• HUKOM Ang Bayan

Philippines, where an ordinary citizen’s life is only worth US$110! 

Here is another reason why the JURY SYSTEM is urgently needed.  Some of the paragraphs were omitted.  The full report is available on www.hrw.org/node/125247. Email shaycullen@preda.org and  visit www.preda.org. ### 

Saved from the death squad - by street children

by FR. SHAY CULLEN, SSC

Preda

What should be a matter of outrage and great moral concern of every Filipino and decent human being is the very recent, well documented revelations by Human Rights Watch, alleging the actions of a death squad in Tagum City, Mindanao, where hundreds have been murdered including street children as young as 9 years old. The killings were allegedly carried out by hit men allegedly on orders of the former mayor.  Each person was killed for a payment of only P5000.00 (US$110).

This is not the first report documenting the dark side of the Philippines where government officials, have been accused of using private assassination squads of hit-men that go around on motor bikes killing children, priests, missionaries, pastors, church and human rights workers. This column has documented many of these murders. The Sun Star of Davao has bravely documented many of the death squad murders over the years. Investigations by the Philippine Commission on Human Rights have failed to uncover the killers or those behind the murders.

The killings are done to drive away begging street kids, create fear and silence critics and defenders of human rights on the pretext of preserving law and order by killing people said to be suspected criminals. Anyone can denounce their neighbor as a drug pusher and it's likely that person would be killed. This is how the tiny minority of wealthy Filipino elites use fear, force and murder to intimidate the people, eliminate rivals, cheat at elections and stay in power through family dynasties. Thus, the one percent can rule the nation as they have always done. The hit-men do it for money and the elites do it for political and economic advantage. They act with total impunity.

The Human Rights Watch report gives credence to the many allegations made by Filipino human rights workers for many years including this writer who exposed a Davao death squad and was sued by the former Davao Mayor in 1999, although no allegation was made against him personally. It was a harrowing, dangerous year of legal defence, and a scary visit to Davao where a group of street children formed a protective cordon around me at the airport lest the death squad would kill me. I was trying to save them, but they saved me.

Your donations are urgently needed.  Help us save lives by reforming our judicial system.  A jury system that is embedded in our body of laws will:  1) Empower the Filipino people in the administration of justice; 2) Make our leaders respect justice and fairness; 3) Enforce our country’s laws and instil respect for them from all levels of our society; and 4) Create a Judiciary that is untainted and equal to our peers throughout the world.

We have now gathered  over 300,000 signatures.  Between 6 and 7 million signatures are needed by middle of December 2014.

Links:

• Philippine Jury International