President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has recently signed Republic Act (RA) No. 120181 into law, a transformative step in the Philippine legal landscape. This new legislation creates three additional Shari'a judicial districts and increases the number of Shari'a circuit courts from 51 to 63. This expansion aims to enhance judicial access and efficiency for Muslim communities across the country. Here’s what you need to know about the new law and its anticipated impact.
Expanding Shari'a Judicial Districts
RA No. 120181 introduces three new Shari'a judicial districts to better serve Muslim Filipinos. This strategic expansion will distribute the judicial workload more effectively and improve access to Shari'a courts across diverse regions. The new districts are:
District 1: Covering a vast area that includes Mindanao and parts of Northern Mindanao, this district will cater to provinces such as Bukidnon and Davao del Sur, as well as cities like Cagayan de Oro.
District 2: Encompassing the Visayan Islands, including provinces like Cebu and Iloilo, this district aims to address the judicial needs in the central Philippines.
District 3: Spanning the National Capital Region and Northern Luzon, this district will serve areas from Batanes to Sorsogon, providing crucial support to densely populated and diverse regions.
These new districts are expected to streamline judicial processes and make legal services more accessible to local communities.
Boosting Shari'a Circuit Courts
In addition to creating new judicial districts, RA No. 120181 increases the number of Shari'a circuit courts from 51 to 63. This expansion is designed to alleviate the burden on existing courts and enhance the efficiency of the Shari'a legal system. The distribution of the 12 new circuit courts is as follows:
District 6: Five new circuit courts will be set up, targeting regions like Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur to support local judicial needs.
District 7: Three new courts will be established in Maguindanao and North Cotabato, improving legal access in these areas.
District 8: Four additional circuit courts will be distributed across various provinces, bolstering the judicial infrastructure in the region.
The increase in circuit courts is expected to reduce case backlogs and provide more immediate legal support to Muslim communities.
Implementation and What Lies Ahead
The provisions of RA No. 120181 will come into effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a widely circulated newspaper. This timeframe will allow for the necessary administrative preparations and adjustments for the establishment of the new districts and circuit courts.
