Puno was born on January 4, 1923, in Guagua, Pampanga and went by the nickname Carding.

He went on to teach at MLQU, beginning a career of teaching law spanning decades and multiple institutions of higher education such as the Ateneo de Manila, the San Beda College of Law,[1] San Sebastián College, Adamson University and the University of the Philippines (UP).

Puno spoke Filipino, English and Spanish, besides his native Kapampangan.

[2] Puno was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Region IV (Metro Manila) from 1978 to 1984,[3] and served as Minister of Justice from 1979 to 1984.

He died on July 25, 2018, after a lingering illness and is interred at the Heritage Park in Taguig.