“I thank Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for extending to me this appointment to be the 22nd Chief Justice of our country. Above all else, I thank the Almighty for this extraordinary gift, more accurately, this trust which is heavily laden with responsibility. I accept the appointment with a clear awareness of the defining role of the judiciary as our people confront turning points after turning points in life. The Judiciary may not have the power of the sword, may not have the power of the purse, but it has the power to interpret the Constitution, and the unerring lessons of history tell us that rightly wielded, that power can make a difference for good.

With this acceptance, I pledge to do what is expected of me: to espouse no ideology but constitutionalism; to uphold no theology but the rule of law. The Judiciary has but one constituency and it is a constituency of one – – – the blindfolded lady with a sword unsheathed. She represents justice, fair justice to all, unfairness to none. I hope to be an instrument of this kind of justice.

In God, I put all my trust.

– Statement of Chief Justice Reynato Puno