Marcos OKs law creating more courts for Islamic law

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed a law on August 12 that creates additional courts for Shari'a or Islamic religious law.

The new law mandates the creation of three additional Shari'a judicial districts and 12 circuit courts across the country.

This raises the number of Shari'a circuit courts from 51 to 63, with five courts in the sixth district, three in the seventh district, and four in the eighth district.

The following are the newly formed Shari’a judicial districts and their coverage areas:

Before this law was signed, there were only five Shari’a judicial districts:

Shari'a courts are under the administrative supervision of the Supreme Court and cover the customary and personal laws of Muslims.

However, they do not cover the country's criminal laws, which are still defined and punished under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws.