Minita Chico-Nazario

Minita Chico-Nazario (December 5, 1939 – February 16, 2022) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. She was appointed to the court by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 10, 2004.

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Born in San Miguel, Bulacan, Justice Chico-Nazario was the first female justice in the Sandiganbayan and its first female presiding justice. She was married to Rod Nazario (1935–2009), noted for being the first business manager/promoter of Manny Pacquiao, with whom they had three children: Rhoderick, Rommelious, and Karen.

She finished elementary and high school education at Our Lady of Loreto College, Sampaloc, Manila (1952) and at Our Lady of Loreto College (1956), respectively. She earned her A.B. at the University of the Philippines (1958).

Her appointment to the supreme court was a homecoming of sorts, since she started out as the social secretary of the late Secretary of Justice Juan Liwag after graduating from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1962. Justice Nazario was appointed Division Clerk of Court of the Sandiganbayan's First Division and was appointed Regional Trial Court Judge of Biñan, Laguna. Likewise, she was a professor of law at the Perpetual Help University in Las Piñas City (1994–1997). Prior to her appointment to the high court, she had more than 40 years of uninterrupted service in government.

Nazario was latterly the president of the Philippine Women Judges Association and dean of University of Perpetual Help College of Law. She was also the Criminal Law Bar Examiner for the year 2000. Nazario died on February 16, 2022, at the age of 82.

Some notable opinions

 * Estrada v. Desierto (2004) — on jurisdiction of Court of Appeals over appeals from Ombudsman decisions
 * Nikko Hotel Manila Garden v. Reyes (2005) — on an action for damages filed by comedian Amay Bisaya against Makati hotel
 * MMDA v. Garin (2005) — on authority of MMDA to confiscate driver's licenses
 * People v. Hon. Tirona (2005) — on right of prosecution to appeal from judgments of acquittal
 * People's Journal v. Theonen (2005) – on libel action involving private persons as injured parties
 * Province of Rizal v. Executive Secretary (2005) — on closure of San Mateo landfill
 * Lambino v. COMELEC (2006) – Dissenting — on people's initiative as a mode to amend the Constitution of the Philippines
 * Alvarez v. PICOP (2006) — on conversion of timber license agreements