President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has enacted a new law that brings the country’s Shariah courts into the digital age, marking a significant step in making legal services more accessible for Filipino Muslims.
On September 18, Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12304, which updates provisions of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Act of 2009. The law directs the NCMF and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, working with the Supreme Court, to roll out a digital system for filing pleadings and other legal documents.
“The Commission shall facilitate the paperless filing of pleadings and other court submissions. The Commission shall respect the right to privacy of the parties concerned and shall not retain any copy of the digital documents referred to herein,” the measure states.
RA 12304 also strengthens the NCMF’s Legal Affairs Bureau by mandating it to provide legal assistance to Filipino Muslims. According to the Presidential Communications Office, “The Bureau shall serve as NCMF’s legal counsel and investigate cases involving its personnel, as well as other valid complaints brought before the NCMF.” It will also help litigants file pleadings with Shariah Courts, particularly in areas where such courts do not exist.
The law further orders the NCMF to assist the Philippine Statistics Authority in carrying out a census of Filipino Muslims nationwide.
