Administrative Leadership of Shari’a Courts in Central Mindanao: Issues and Challenges

The Shari’a Courts in the Philippines are creations of Philippine legislature. People inside the said courts, are also administrative leaders because they are the one leading people by promulgating and ordaining Shari’a laws as far as their jurisdiction and applications are concerned which has been stipulated under P.D. 1083 also known as The Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines. This paper sought to find out the issues and challenges as regard to the administrative leadership of Shari’a Courts in Central Mindanao. The study utilized qualitative descriptive-evaluative method using interview guide questions to the 12 participants who were Shari’a judges, clerks of court, Shari’a counsellors or lawyers, and selected clients. From the interviews made, it is revealed that Shari’a Courts are experiencing several issues and challenges and these are the following: The lack qualified Judge applicants resulted to lack of presiding judge; Lack of required capability or competency to be Shari’a Counsellor or Lawyer; The overriding objective by non-Muslim Husband conversion to Islam; and Some Muslim individuals seem not interested in bringing their dispute before the Shari’a Courts. It is indeed a challenge for them to constantly revisit the rules and laws stipulated and regulated under Shari’a Courts.