Why I now support the campaign for trial by jury in the Philippines

Was just thinking earlier today that it is probably time the Philippines considers changing the justice system to include trial by jury. Why do I say this?

I am very sure that there are hundreds of excellent judges in the Philippines doing a brilliant job. dispensing justice up and down the land.

However, it also worries me that if you are the only judge in a trial and maybe you are having to judge a very high profile case for example, involving millions of pesos, if you find that person guilty, your safety may be at risk. Haven't judges ended up dead in the past? It can't be an easy job.

Of course I am not being critical of the system or indeed any particular judge, I am merely making the point that it is a massive burden of responsibility on one person who maybe has a family, life to think about etc. Also with so many incredibly rich people living in the country right now, who's to say that a judge. Police officer etc couldn't be paid off to sway the case a certain way?

I am not saying this does happen, I am just saying it could have the potential to happen.

Trial by jury seems a lot more fairer and practical. You see, 12 randomly selected people from all walks of like would then listen very carefully to the evidence and then decide. It would then be harder to penetrate any jury or sway a case in a certain way. I was just reading some comments in response to the allegation by Kat Alano that she was raped when she was 19.

I do believe this and I also don't believe in any way that Vhong Navarro had anything whatsoever to do with this. In fact I believe Vhong is a victim himself of some nasty people who are jealous of his success and out to get rich quick.

This all made me think, that even if whoever raped Kat came to trial, would people be paid off not to bring the case further? Also looking at some of the comments and blogs today, there are lots of views, opinions etc, from I guess a cross section of society, however the general view is that rape is a terrible crime and the rapist should be brought to justice.

I guess the worry for Kat is that would she be safe naming the rapist and then would that individual pay people off so he wouldn't face trial?

In the cases of impeachment of politicians, am I right in thinking that there are many senators who sit in congress to hear the evidence and then decide whether the politician is innocent or guilty?

It does seem unfair to me that politicians who may have been accused of corruption, earn the right to a trial by jury, however the average Filipino citizen has no such right?

Therefore, I support the campaign for trial by jury.