| 20 July 2009
The Philippine Jury Initiative Ltd. (PJI or PhilJury), formerly known as Philippine Jury International was founded in Twickenham, London on the 30th August 2009. Its founding members are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and Overseas Filipino Residents (OFR) residing in the United Kingdom.
As envisaged by its founding members, PJI is a charitable, non-governmental, non-partisan and non-violent organization. It was borne of the necessity to awaken the Filipino people to the need for a check and balance in our so-called “democratic” society. This check and balance can only be achieved by giving the people the real power to curb the excesses of its leaders.
The peoples’ ability to judge its own peers, be they rich or poor, powerful or powerless, through a JURY SYSTEM is an all-important mechanism that has kept many progressive, democratic countries in a stable state.
COULD THIS HAPPEN IN THE PHILIPPINES IN THE PRESENT POLITICAL AND JUDICIAL LANDSCAPE?
We, the founders, firmly believe that the movement for a better Philippines by empowering the Filipinos to administer impartial justice to everyone should now be given renewed impetus while the youth and some organisations like ABS-CBN and the CHURCHES are calling for the clean-up of our government agencies.
The youth of the land, with their campaign of “BOTO MO, IPATROL MO” during the election and the present call for "AKO ANG SIMULA NG PAGBABAGO" should be given direction. It is not enough to call for change if they do not know what to change the present system with. They have to realise that the JURY SYSTEM that is embedded in our judicial system is what our country needs because it will:
- Empower the Filipino people in the administration of impartial justice to everyone;
- Deter our leaders and government from graft and corruption;
- Enable the enforcement of our country's laws, hence, prevent lawlessness and human rights atrocities; and
- Create a Judiciary that is independent and strong but not all-powerful as proven in progressive and truly democratic countries in the world.
Let us now, unite together and awaken our politicians and leaders that there is another way of ruling the country. If they really want change for the country, then they should shift the real power in government from the privileged few to the people. Winston Churchill once said “ONLY AS LONG AS JURIES OF ORDINARY CITIZENS HAVE THE FINAL SAY, GOVERNMENT REMAINS THE SERVANT, NOT THE MASTER, OF THE PEOPLE”.
Do not leave this monumental task on the shoulders of a few OFWs and OFRs who have seen Trial by Jury in action and have lived life in countries with a jury system. They would like to share their blessings with every Filipino.
Last September 2009, just before Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, we established our affiliate in the Philippines _ KATARUNGANG PANGSAMBAYANAN INC. Its chairman, Dominador Domingo, and his team have started making waves, despite the typhoons, in spreading the cause. PJI wishes our affiliates from the Cagayan Valley the best of everything.
WE CALL ON ALL OUR READERS TO JOIN US BY REGISTERING IN THIS WEBSITE _ www.philippinejury.com, AND TAKE PART IN OUR SURVEY. (This is a secure site and it abides by the Data Protection Act.) Your registration is another way of taking part in the campaign for a better Philippines.
DO NOT ALLOW OUR PRAYERS FOR A BETTER PHILIPPINES TO GO UNHEARD AND UNANSWERED. REMEMBER _ “NASA DIYOS ANG AWA, NASA TAO ANG GAWA” (God Helps Those Who Help Themselves.)
So Help Us God.