The honor was accorded her through Resolution No. 1003 dated Feb. 19 passed by the Quezon City Council and was approved by the Office of the Mayor early this year.
City officials led by Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and scores of her former court colleagues and admirers gathered last week at a dinner program to pay tribute to Justice San Diego. It was held at the Tejeros Hall of the Camp Aguinaldo Officer’s Club.
Justice San Diego served as CA associate justice in 1970-1980, before being promoted as the first woman CA presiding justice. She was judge of the court of first instance at Dagupan City for 1958-1962, and of the CFI at Quezon City in 1962-1970.
Her illustrious father was the legendary Don Quintin Paredes of Abra, who occupied various government positions, among them being solicitor general, secretary of justice, congressman, senator, House of Representatives Speaker, and Senate President.
She was high school valedictorian at St. Theresa’s College; and held a bachelor of philosophy degree from the University of the Philippines; bachelor of laws, cum laude, valedictorian, UP; N.A. meritissumus, UST graduate studies; bachelor of music, major in piano; graduate courses in humanities and law, Universidad Central de Madrid; music teacher certificate, with honors, and bachelor of science music major in piano, St. Theresa’s College.
Right after passing the bar exams, she practiced law through the Paredes Poblador Nazareno Law Office until her appointment to the judiciary.