PBBM SIGNS LAW ESTABLISHING 3 NEW SHARI’A JUDICIAL DISTRICTS AND EXPANDING CIRCUIT COURTS NATIONWIDE

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has enacted Republic Act (RA) 12018, significantly expanding the reach of Shari’a law in the Philippines by establishing three additional Shari’a judicial districts and 12 new circuit courts across the country.

Signed on August 12, RA 12018 amends Articles 138, 147, and 150 of Presidential Decree (PD) 1083, also known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines. The original decree had established only five Shari’a judicial districts, primarily in Mindanao.

The newly established sixth Shari’a judicial district will encompass the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Cagayan de Oro City.

The seventh district covers the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, and the city of Tacloban.

The eighth district includes Metro Manila, Baguio City, and the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon.

The permanent seats of these new judicial districts will be in Davao City for the sixth district, Cebu City for the seventh, and Manila for the eighth.

Under RA 12018, the number of Shari’a circuit courts has increased from 51 to 63, with the additional courts distributed across the new judicial districts—five in the sixth, three in the seventh, and four in the eighth.

Each Shari’a district court will have a staff of 12, while each circuit court will employ nine personnel. The Supreme Court is tasked with defining the territorial jurisdiction of each court, taking into account geographical proximity and the Muslim population in the area.

The necessary funding for the implementation of RA 12018 will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The law will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

(ia/mnm)