Marcos signs law digitalizing access to Shari’ah courts

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure that digitalizes court processes for Filipino Muslims. 

Marcos enacted Republic Act No. 12304 on September 18, which amends  several provisions of RA 9997, also known as the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Act of 2009.

The newly signed law mandates the NCMF and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, in coordination with the Supreme Court, to establish a digital platform for filing of pleadings and other court 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 new law read. 

RA 12304 also mandates the NCMF’s Legal Affairs Bureau to provide Filipino Muslims with legal assistance. 

“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,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement. 

“The Bureau shall also facilitate the filing or submission of pleadings and other court submissions with the proper Shariah Court for litigants in regions without an existing Shariah Court,” it added. 

Further, RA 12304 also ordered the NCMF to help the Philippine Statistics Authority in conducting a census of Filipino Muslims. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News