Reynato Serrano Puno, KGCR (born May 17, 1940) is a Filipino jurist. He served as the 22nd chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from December 7, 2006, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo until his mandatory retirement on May 17, 2010. Puno had initially been appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice on June 28, 1993.
Puno was appointed on January 23, 2018, as the chairperson of the Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution by virtue of Executive Order No. 10.
Puno is also the chairman of the solar energy company named "GenWATT".
Profile
Puno earned his law degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman. During his stay in the state university, he also served as editor of The Philippine Collegian. He became a member of the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity in 1959. He would later finish post-graduate studies at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas (Master of Comparative Laws), University of California, Berkeley (Master of Laws), and University of Illinois (finished all academic requirements of the degree of Doctor of Judicial Science).
Puno began his legal career in private practice. In 1969, he joined the law practice of his elder brother Isaac, a future judge whose murder at age 42 remains unsolved to date. In 1971, he joined the Office of the Solicitor General, where he would serve for the next nine years. In 1980, Puno was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos as a Justice of the Court of Appeals. He rejoined the executive department in 1984, this time as a Deputy Minister of Justice. Upon the assumption into office of President Corazon Aquino in 1986, Puno was reappointed to the Court of Appeals.
Puno has been praised for his erudite and literary writing style. His predecessor as Chief Justice, Artemio Panganiban, once lauded Puno's writing in the following manner: "Like a trained surgeon, he uses his pen with razor-like precision to separate the excise fabrication from truth and pretension from reality. In the process, he gives life to populist causes and libertarian ideals. Darting, gutsy and erudite, he often wages lonely battles against conventional wisdom with his stirring dissents and insightful opinion." (Panganiban, Justice and Faith, p. 142)
Freemason Puno is a freemason and Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. hiramlodge88.org, Hiram Lodge # 88 MW Reynato S. Puno PGM is from Hiram Lodge No. 88, and also a charter member of Jacques DeMolay Memorial Lodge No.305, and also a dual member of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84.
Supreme Court term
On June 28, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Puno as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court at the age of 53. He would serve in that capacity for the next 13 years. Upon the retirement of Justice Josue Bellosillo in 2003, Puno became the Senior Associate Justice.
Traditionally, the most senior Associate Justice was appointed to fill any permanent vacancy to the seat of the Chief Justice, though this tradition was not always observed. Upon the retirement of Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. in 2005, Puno, as the senior Associate Justice, was a leading candidate for appointment as the next Chief Justice. However, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo instead appointed Associate Justice Artemio Panganiban as Chief Justice, marking the first time in 20 years that the senior Associate Justice was bypassed.
Justice Puno remained as the most senior Associate Justice for the twelve months of the term of Chief Justice Panganiban. Despite some speculation that President Arroyo would again bypass Puno and appoint either Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing or Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago as Chief Justice, Puno was appointed to the post within hours from the retirement of Panganiban. Puno denied speculations that he will retire from the position of Chief Justice before May 17, 2010.supremecourt.gov.ph, STATEMENT OF CHIEF JUSTICE REYNATO S. PUNO
Performance rating On January 7, 2008, the Social Weather Stations (November 30 to December 3, 2007) survey released the performance rating of Chief Justice Reynato Puno - 32% satisfied and 34% dissatisfied, or net –2, having been in single digit since March 2007.
Honors Puno was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines award in the field of law in 1977. He was also one of the Outstanding Alumnus of the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity - UP College of Law in 1975. As a member of the Judiciary, he has received honorary doctorates from Wesleyan University Philippines, the Angeles University Foundation, Bulacan State University, Hannam University of South Korea, the Central Philippine University, University of the East, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the Philippines and Silliman University."Hon. Reynato S. Puno Chief Justice (retired), Supreme Court of Philippines". ASEAN Law Association. Retrieved March 29, 2012."UP Law kicks off Centennial celebration this year" . University of the Philippines. Retrieved March 29, 2012."Silliman to Confer Honorary Degree on Former Chief Justice". Silliman University. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
In 1996, he was chosen the "Outstanding Alumnus" by the University of the Philippines College of Law.
2008 WPPAC award The World Peace Prize Awarding Council (WPPAC) Chief Judge and Co-Founder Lester Wolff and WPPAC Executive Judge and Co-Founder Dr. Han Min Su, WPPAC Sec. Gen. Judge Dr. Asher Naim, and WPPAC Judge Dr. Mohammad A. Cholkamy, on October, recognized Puno as 2008 Human Cultural Asset International.supremecourt.gov.ph, Another Int'l Award for Chief Justice Puno
Family
Puno was married to Luzviminda T. Delgado-Puno (1940–2006), a lawyer who had been the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court from 1993 to 2005. She died at 5:10 am, April 12, 2006, at the St. Luke's Medical Hospital, Quezon City due to complications from heart surgery. Court News Flash, ATTY. LUZVIMINDA D. PUNO, SC RETIRED CLERK OF COURT PASSES AWAY On April 25, 2007, Narcisa "Sisang" Serrano Puno, 92, mother of Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, died at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.Narcisa Puno, mother of Chief Justice Puno, passes away at 92 Manila BulletinPuno lost judge-brother to assassin Inquirer.net
Year one
Extrajudicial killings summit
The 22nd Puno Supreme Court held a National Consultative Summit on extrajudicial killings on July 16 and 17, 2007 at the Manila Hotel. Invited representatives from the three branches of the government participated (including the AFP, the PNP, CHR, media, academe, civil society and other stakeholders). Puno gave the keynote speech and closing remarks. Puno searches for major solutions to solve forced disappearances. During the first day of the summit, the speakers presented their respective papers comprising significant inputs from their respective sectors, while on the second day, the participants were broken up into 12 groups (chaired by a Justice) and take part in a workshop. Local and international observers (the diplomatic corps and representatives from various international organizations) were accredited. Puno informed that "the summit highlight will be a plenary session where each of the 12 groups shall report to the body their recommended resolutions. The reports and proposals were synthesized and then transmitted to the concerned government agencies for appropriate action". On the other hand, the earlier slated Malacañang-sponsored Mindanao Peace and Security Summit (July 8–10, 2007 at Cagayan de Oro City), would focus on how to make the anti-terror law, or the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007, more acceptable to the public. It would probably steal the thunder from Puno's own summit on extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.SC slates summit on extrajudicial killings Inquirer.net Chief Justice unfazed by Palace meet GMA NEWS.TV
On July 16, 2007, Justices, activists, militant leaders, police officials, politicians and prelates attended the Supreme Court's two-day summit at the Manila Hotel in Manila City to map out ways to put an end to the string of extrajudicial killings in the country. Bayan was set to launch their "silent protest", but expressed support for the high court's initiative. Director Geary Barias, chief of the police's anti-killings Task Force Usig, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Yñiguez, reelected party-list Representatives Satur Ocampo (Bayan Muna) and Crispin Beltran (Anakpawis) graced the affair. SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno said that the "National Consultative Summit on Extrajudicial Killings and Forced Disappearances: Searching for Solutions," would help stop the murders. Delegates were given 12 to 15 minutes each to share their insights and knowledge about the matter. Yniguez scored the government for failing to actively pursue investigations on the hundreds of killings, and the Catholic Church was alarmed that victims have been deprived of their "fundamental right" to live. Based on Yniguez-church's count, the number of victims of extrajudicial killings reached 778, while survivors of "political assassinations," was pegged at 370. He also noted 203 "massacre" victims, 186 people who involuntarily disappeared, 502 tortured, and others who were illegally arrested. Yniguez similarly criticized the government's alleged insistence to implement its Oplan Bantay Laya I and II, the military's counter-insurgency operation-plans which militants have said consider legal people's organizations as targets. Meanwhile, Bayan urged the Supreme Court to "check serious threats to civil liberties and basic freedoms" including the anti-terror law or the Human Security Act of 2007, which took effect on July 15 despite protests from leftist groups. Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. joined Bayan and other leftist groups as petitioners in their formal pleading before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the law. Human rights lawyer Edre Olalia of the International Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL) served as lead counsel. Bayan chair Carol Araullo said the respondents included members of the Anti-Terrorism Council headed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Raul Gonzalez. Earlier, CBCP president Angel Lagdameo pointed out at least 5 provisions of the law that may threaten civil liberties: Sec. 19 allows detentions of mere suspects for more than three days in the event of an actual or terrorist attack, while Section 26 allows house arrest despite the posting of bail, and prohibits the right to travel and to communicate with others; Sec. 39 allows seizure of assets while Sec. 7 allows surveillance or wiretapping of suspects; Sec. 26 allows the investigation of bank deposits and other assets.Justices, activists, prelates map out ways to end killings GMA NEWS.TV