Qualifications of Shari’ah Judges. –
(a) Shari’ah Circuit Court – No person shall be appointed judge of the Shari’ah Circuit Court unless a citizen of the Philippines who is a Muslim, a regular member of the Philippine Bar, at least thirty (30) years of age, must have been engaged in the practice of law for five (5) years or more, and has completed at least two (2) years of Shari’ah or Islamic Jurisprudence.
(b) Shari’ah District Court – No person shall be appointed judge of the Shari’ah District Court unless a citizen of the Philippines who is a Muslim, a regular member of the Philipine Bar, at least thirty-five (35) years of age, must have been engaged in the practice of law for ten (10) years or more, and has completed at least two (2) years of Shari’ah or Islamic Jurisprudence.
(c) Shari’ah High Court – No person shall be appointed as justice of the Shari’ah High Court unless a natural-born citizen of the Philippines who is a Muslim, a regular member of the Philippine Bar, at least forty (40) years of age, must have been engaged in the practice of law for fifteen (15) years or more, and has completed at least two years of Shari’ah or Islamic Jurisprudence.
A Shari’ah Justice or Judge must be a person of competence, integrity, probity, and independence.
The Supreme Court may grant the incumbent Shari’ah District and Circuit Court judges who are not regular members of the Philippine Bar a reasonable period within which to qualify, pending which they shall allowed to continue discharging their duties.
