Press Release - Sen. Robin to Shari'ah Bar Passers: Time to Face Constitutional Issue on Shari'ah Courts

The nation now needs to face the constitutional issue on the qualifications of Shari'ah judges, especially now that there are vacant positions in Shari'ah courts nationwide.

Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla stressed this Wednesday evening in his speech at the dinner for passers of the 2024 Special Shari'ah Bar Examinations.

"Yan ang mga bagay na sana maayos natin, magkaroon ng kalinawan. Kaya nakikiusap tayo sa ating mabubuting loob na justices na sana dumating ang araw na ma-realize natin talaga na meron talaga sa Constitution na mga kailangan nating harapin (I hope we can address these issues. That is why we are appealing to kindhearted justices to help us see the day that we realize there are issues in the Constitution that need to be addressed)," he said.

"Sa Constitution kasi sinasabi doon na pwede lang na Shari'ah judge e (myembro ng) Philippine Bar (In the Constitution, only those who are members of the Philippine Bar can be Shari'ah judges)," he added.

Last Aug. 12, Padilla filed Resolution of Both Houses 10 to address the lack of access of Muslims to Shari'ah judges and courts outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Under the Resolution of Both Houses, while no person may be appointed judge thereof unless he is a citizen of the Philippines and a member of the Philippine Bar, "the requisite membership to the Philippine Bar shall not apply to Shari'ah judges."

"Personal accounts of our Muslim brothers and sisters indicate difficulties in accessing these courts due to geographical location, prompting Congress to pass a law to create additional Shari'a judicial districts and circuit courts outside of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)," Padilla said in his resolution.

"Filling the vacant positions in Shari'a courts is also a persistent problem for our Muslim brothers and sisters due to the restrictions set forth by the Constitution," he added.

Sen. Robin sa Shari'ah Bar Passers: Kailangan nang Harapin ang Constitutional Issue sa Shari'ah Courts

Kailangan nang harapin ang isyu sa Saligang Batas tungkol sa kwalipikasyon ng mga magiging Shari'ah judges, ngayong marami nang vacancy sa mga Shari'ah court