PADILLA FILES BILL TO EASE APPOINTMENT OF SHARI’AH JUDGES

By Liza Soriano

MANILA — Senator Robin Padilla has introduced a bill aimed at simplifying the qualifications for Shari’ah judges to ensure that positions in Muslim courts are filled.

Padilla filed Senate Bill No. 2820, which seeks to amend Article X, Section 8 of Republic Act No. 11054, the organic law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The proposed amendment removes the requirement for Shari’ah judges to be regular members of the Philippine Bar, instead stipulating that appointees must have practiced Shari’ah law for at least five years.

Padilla pointed out that Republic Act 11054 currently requires Philippine Bar membership as one of the qualifications for Shari’ah circuit court judges.

“As noted by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), these strict requirements contribute to the difficulty in filling positions in Shari’ah circuit courts,” Padilla said.

The NCMF further highlighted that, since many issues discussed in these courts are communal, a judge’s knowledge of Shari’ah practices should be prioritized over legal expertise, he added.

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