President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 12018, creating three additional Shari’a Judicial Districts and 12 circuit courts across the country.

The law amends Articles 138, 147, and 150 of Presidential Decree No. 1083.

Previously, there were only five Shari’a judicial districts created under PD No. 1083—the first comprising the province of Sulu; the second in Tawi-Tawi; and the third covering Basilan, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and the cities of Dipolog, Pagadian, and Zamboanga.

The fourth district is for Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Iligan and Marawi, while the fifth district comprises Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City.

Under RA No. 120181, the three additional Shari’a districts shall be: the sixth district for Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Cagayan de Oro City, and the provinces in Regions XI and XIII; the seventh district for the provinces within Regions VI, VII, and VIII; and the eighth district for Metro Manila, the provinces within the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, and the Mimaropa (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) region.

The new law also increases the number of Shari’a circuit courts from 51 to 63. The 12 new Shari’a circuit courts will serve the newly-created Shari’a Judicial Districts.

Five circuit courts will be situated in and for the sixth district, three in the seventh district, and four in the eighth Shari’a district.

The law was signed on August 12, 2024, and shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. PND