Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao expressed hope that the 1st National Shari’ah Summit will bring about “the necessary blueprint for transforming the current Shari’ah legal system into one that is truly attuned to the needs not only of the Bangsamoro but also the Muslim Filipino community all within the bounds of the national legal foundations” on March 6, 2023 in Cagayan de Oro City.
In his message entitled “What Lies Ahead: Conquering Challenges in the Philippine Shari’ah Legal System and the Evolving Shari’ah Doctrines,” Justice Dimaampao underscored that “Shari’ah has always been an indispensable component of the Philippine legal framework.”
However, “regrettably, it has often been neglected because of a lack of familiarity or understanding about the system,” he added. The historical two-day Summit, themed “Forging the Role of Shari’ah in the National Legal Framework,” was organized in line 2 with the Supreme Court’s thrust to enhance the prevailing Shari’ah system and enrich Islamic jurisprudence under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI).
The Summit “brings to light a flourishing Philippine legal Shari’ah system as well as an auspicious public awareness about evolving Shari’ah doctrines,” says Justice Dimaampao. Justice Dimaampao is Co-Vice Chairperson of the Technical Working Group on Shari’ah of the Supreme Court Committee on Access to Justice in Underserved Areas, along with Court of Appeals Associate Justice Anisah B. Amanodin-Umpa. In his message, Justice Dimaampao also gave a brief background regarding Philippine Shari’ah legal system and discussed the Special Rules of Procedure in Shari’ah Courts or Ijra’at Al Mahakim Al Shari’ah, the petition for formal integration of the Shari’ah Bar of the Philippines, the subsequent digitalization of the Special Shari’ah Bar Examinations, the Supreme Court’s enrichment of Islamic jurisprudence, and notable evolving Shari’ah doctrines.
Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) Chancellor Rosmari D. Carandang, in her closing remarks, meanwhile reaffirmed the commitment of the PHILJA as the SC’s educational arm, saying that “PHILJA shall actively participate in the strengthening of the Shari’ah justice system by providing legal education to Shari’ah court judges, practitioners, and other stakeholders.”
Among the topics discussed on Day 2 of the Summit were “The Muslim Code and the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” “Supreme Court Decisions on Shari’ah,” “Salient Provisions of the Proposed Revised Special Rules of Procedure in Shari’ah Courts,” and “Islamic Banking and Finance.” A knowledge-sharing and panel discussion on “Best Practices on Shari’ah in Foreign Jurisdictions” was also held, with speakers including the Egyptian Ambasador to the Philippines and experts from Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Summit was attended by around 300 participants nationwide, including Justices, judges, prosecutors, and lawyers from all branches of government. They were also joined by Shari’ah counselors, Shari’ah judges, members of the academe, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and foreign delegates from countries which implement Shari’ah laws. (Anthony Quindoy)
