INTERNATIONAL

MATERIALS
Presented by: ALBA, Mona Xyra G.
 INTRODUCTION
International materials may either be binding or
persuasive to the courts of a State, including the
Philippines, depending on context. These
materials often involve two or more States or
international bodies, necessitating their own set of
citation rules as set forth herein.
 FOUNDING DOCUMENTS
U.N. Charter & League of Nations Covenant
● The initial citation format for the Charter of the United Nations (U.N.) and the
Covenant of the League of Nations is as follows:
● U.N. CHARTER / LEAGUE OF NATIONS COVENANT <pinpoint citation>.
● The “U.N. CHARTER” or “LEAGUE OF NATIONS COVENANT” is in SMALL CAPS.

● Similar to the Rules on Constitutions, these two founding documents must always
be cited in full.
● Hence, do not use supra for subsequent citations of the U.N. Charter
and the League of Nations Covenant. Nevertheless, Id. may be used for both of
these documents.
 TREATIES
Bilateral Treaties
● The initial citation format for treaties between two parties is as follows:
● <Name of Treaty>, <Abbreviated Names of Parties>, <pinpoint
citation>, <date of signing>, <treaty compilation>.

● Indicate the exact date of signing. If there are multiple dates of signing (like in
the case of exchanges of notes), indicate the period covered by specifying the
first and last dates of signing.
● If the Philippines is a party to the treaty cited, place its country abbreviation
(Phil.) before that of the other party.
 TREATIES
Bilateral Treaties
● Treaties must be cited from an official treaty compilation published by
an international organization, such as the United Nations Treaty Series
(U.N.T.S.), League of Nations Treaty Series (L.N.T.S.), Organization
of American States Treaty Series (O.A.S.T.S.), Official Journal of
the European Union (O.J.), European Treaty Series (E.T.S.), or
Council of Europe Treaty Series (C.E.T.S.).
 TREATIES
Bilateral Treaties
● Use of the rules on “hereinafter” is encouraged when the treaty will be cited
subsequently, with the special short citation form preferably indicating the
name or abbreviation for which the treaty is better known, if any.

● For subsequent citations, use supra. Id. may also be used when proper.
 TREATIES
Multilateral Treaties
● The initial citation format for treaties among three or more parties is as follows:
● <Name of Treaty> <pinpoint citation>, <signification> date of
signing or other significant date>, <treaty compilation>.
● Note that there is no comma between the name of the treaty and the pinpoint
citation.

● The exact date of signing must be indicated. If for some reason the date of
signing cannot be indicated (as when a treaty was not signed on a single
date), then the date on which a multilateral treaty was opened for
signature, approved, ratified, or adopted may be used. The signification must
be in italics.
 TREATIES
Multilateral Treaties
● Use of the rules on “hereinafter” is encouraged when the treaty will be cited
subsequently, with the special short citation form preferably indicating the
name or abbreviation for which the treaty is better known, if any

● For subsequent citations, use supra. Id. may also be used when proper.
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
I.C.J. & P.C.I.J. Reported Cases
● The initial citation format for reported cases of the International Court of
Justice (I.C.J.) and the Permanent Court of International Justice
(P.C.I.J.) is as follows:
● <Case Title> (<Abbreviated Names of Parties>), <matter of decision, if

needed>, <type of court document>, <volume no.> <abbreviated name

of reporter> <first page of report>, <pinpoint citation> (<date>).
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
I.C.J. & P.C.I.J. Cases Available Online
● This Rule applies only to I.C.J. and P.C.I.J. cases available in the official website
of the I.C.J. and P.C.I.J. (i.e., http://www.icj- cij.org).
● The initial citation format for I.C.J. and P.C.I.J. cases available online is as
follows:
● <Case Title> (<Abbreviated Names of Parties>), <matter of decision, if
needed>, <type of court document>, <pinpoint citation> (<date>),
available at <internet address> (last accessed <date>).

● Note that the type of court document being cited (e.g.,

judgments) must always be indicated if the case was cited online, even if irrelevant
to the text referred to by the citation.
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
I.C.J. & P.C.I.J. Advisory Opinions
● The initial citation format for I.C.J. and P.C.I.J. advisory opinions is as follows:
● <Case Title>, Advisory Opinion, <volume no.>
<abbreviated name of reporter> <first page of report>, <pinpoint

citation> (<date>).
● Do not use supra, but Id. may be used when proper.
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
Cases Before the ICC
● The initial citation format for cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC) is
as follows:
● <Case Title>, <case no.>, <type & description of court document>,
<pinpoint citation> (<date>).

● Do not use supra, but Id. may be used when proper.

 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
CJEU Reported Cases in Print
● The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) consists of two separate
courts: the Court of Justice and the General Court. The Civil Service Tribunal
used to be part of the CJEU as a specialized court, until it was dissolved on 1
September 2016.
● The initial citation format for CJEU reported cases in print is as follows:
● <Case Title>, <case no.>, <year> ECR <volume no.>-<first page of report>,

<pinpoint citation>.

● There is a hyphen, but no space, between the ECR volume number and the
first page of the cited case (e.g., I-7367).
● Cases before the Court of Justice are reported in Volume I of the ECR
(e.g., I-2971), while those cases before the General Court are reported in
Volume II (e.g., II-415).
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
CJEU Cases Available Online
● This Rule is used to cite CJEU cases available at the official website of the
CJEU (i.e., http://curia.europa.eu) and from EUR- Lex (i.e., http://eur-
lex.europa.eu).
● The initial citation format for CJEU cases available online is as follows:
● <Case Title >, <type of court document>, <case no.>, <ECLI>, <pinpoint

citation> (CJEU <date>).

● For subsequent citations, follow this short citation format:

● <Short Case Title>, <ECLI>, <pinpoint citation>.
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
Cases Before Other International Judicial Institutions & Ad
Hoc Tribunals
● The initial citation format for cases before other international judicial institutions
and ad hoc tribunals is as follows:
● <Case Title> (<Abbreviated Names of Parties, if applicable>),
<case no., if any>, <matter of decision, if needed>, <type of court

document>, <abbreviated name of official reporter, if any>, <pinpoint

citation> (<date>).
 INTERNATIONAL LAW CASES
International Arbitration Cases
● International arbitration cases are cited fairly analogously to I.C.J. and P.C.I.J.
decisions under Rule 60.

● For the case title, the indicated names of the parties may be used. Otherwise,
the subject matter of the case may be indicated as the case title.
● For awards of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment
Disputes (ICSID), the full diplomatic names of the country involved should be
indicated.
 RESOLUTIONS & DECISIONS
U.N. General Assembly Resolutions & Decisions
● The initial citation format for United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly
(G.A.) Resolutions (Res.) and Decisions (Dec.) is as follows:
● <Title, if needed>, <resolution or decision no. & session no.>,
<pinpoint citation>, <U.N. Document Symbol> (<date of adoption>).

● Note that the U.N. Document Symbol may be placed at the end of the URL,
“http://undocs.org”, to access the U.N. document (e.g.,
http://undocs.org/A/RES/59/38). For more information, consult the guide found in
the official website of the U.N. (i.e., http://research.un.org/en/docs/symbols).
 RESOLUTIONS & DECISIONS
Resolutions by Other U.N. Organizations & Other
International Bodies
• Resolutions issued by other international bodies (e.g., U.N. Security
Council (S.C.), Economic and Social Council, Human Rights Council) are cited
analogously to U.N. G.A. Resolutions and Decisions under Rule 68.
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
Reports by U.N. Organs & Committees
• The initial citation format for reports issued by U.N. organs and committees is as
follows:
• <Issuing Body & Subcommittee, if any>, <Report Title, if any>,
<pinpoint citation>, <U.N. Document Symbol> (<year for annual or

sessional reports, otherwise, use the date of document for other

reports>).
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
Reports by the Secretary-General & Other Officials
• The initial citation format for reports by the Secretary-General, and by
anyone acting in an official capacity as in the position of an envoy,
spokesperson, or special rapporteur, is as follows:
● <Capacity or Position>, <Report Title, if any>, <pinpoint citation>,
<Institution or Committee to which the Report was Delivered, if
any>, <U.N. Document Symbol> (<date of document>) (by
<Author/s, if any>).
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
Conference Reports
• The initial citation format for conference reports is as follows:
• <Conference Name>, <Report Title>, <pinpoint citation>, <document
designation, if any>, (<date of document>).
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
WTO Panel & Appellate Body Reports
• The initial citation format for World Trade Organization (WTO) panel and appellate
body reports is as follows:
• <Type of Report>, <Title of Dispute>, <pinpoint citation>, <WTO
Document Symbol> (<date>).
• Use of the rules on “hereinafter” is encouraged, particularly when citing multiple
WTO panel or appellate body reports.
• For subsequent citations, use supra. Id. may also be used when proper.
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
Reports by the WTO Secretariat & Other WTO Bodies
• The initial citation format for reports by the WTO Secretariat and other WTO
bodies is as follows:
• <Issuing Body>, <Report Title>, <pinpoint citation>, <WTO Document
Symbol> (<date>).
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
WTO Ministerial Documents
• The initial citation format for WTO ministerial documents is as follows:
• World Trade Organization, <Title, if any>, <pinpoint citation>, <WTO
Document Symbol> (<year>).
 REPORTS & OTHER INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS
Sales Publications
• Many U.N. agencies release materials (other than official documents and
records) that are for sale to the public. These materials may be in the form
of reports, studies, or statistics. They are cited analogously to books and
other non-periodic materials in Section I.
• For subsequent citations, use supra. Id. may also be used when proper.
GENERAL RULES OF
USAGE
 QUOTATIONS
Quotations of 49 Words or Less
• Quotations consisting of 49 words or less should be enclosed in double
quotation marks (“ ”). Quotations within the quoted material should be
enclosed in single quotation marks (‘ ’). However, if the exact passage being
cited is itself quoted material in the original, only one set of double
quotation marks should be used.
• All punctuation marks should be placed inside the quotation marks, except:
(1) colons (:) and semicolons (;); and (2) question marks (?) and exclamation
points (!), if they were not part of the original quotation.
• Thus, commas (,) and periods (.) are placed within the quotation marks,
even if the original text of the quoted material does not contain them. This is
for plain aesthetic purposes and must only be used if the integrity of the quoted
material will not be compromised.
 QUOTATIONS
Quotations of 50 Words or More
• Quotations consisting of 50 words or more should be in the form of a block
quotation. A block quotation must be single-spaced, indented on both sides, and
justified, and must not be enclosed in double quotation marks. The footnote
reference should be placed after the final punctuation of the block quotation.
• Quotations within the block quotation should be retained using single quotation
marks.
• The first line of the block quotation may be further indented on the left margin if
it is also the first line in the paragraph in the original text being cited.
• If a word, or words, at the beginning of the paragraph of the original text is,
or are, omitted in the block quotation, do not further indent on the left side
nor use an ellipsis to indicate the omission.
• Indicate the omission of an entire paragraph or paragraphs in the block
quotation by placing on the next line of the quoted paragraph an ellipsis
consisting of three periods (“ ... ”). This is only done when one or more
paragraphs are omitted in the length of a single block quotation.
 QUOTATIONS
Quotations of 50 Words or More
• If the block quotation is not contained in the body but, rather, in the footnote
text, the citation reference should not be indented but should begin at the
left margin on the line immediately following the quotation.
 QUOTATIONS
Alterations
• Alterations (e.g., substitution of letters or words, insertion of material, or
conversion of letter case) made to quotations are indicated by enclosing such
changes in square brackets (“[ ]”).
• When quoting a passage, significant mistakes found in the original should
be followed by “[sic]” (see Rule 90.4).
• Omitted letters or punctuations must be indicated by empty square brackets
(“[ ]”) (see Rule 90).

Omissions
• Omissions in the quotation must be indicated by an ellipsis, consisting of
three periods, with a space before the first period and a space after the last
period (“ ... ”).
• An ellipsis must not begin a quotation. It is used generally when the omission is in
the middle of the quotation (see Rule 89).
 QUOTATIONS
Emphases
• When emphasis is added to or omitted from the quoted text, parenthetically
indicate the same (i.e., “emphasis supplied” or “emphasis omitted”) after the
citation reference in the footnote.
 FOOTNOTE REFERENCES
Footnote References
• Every sentence or clause requiring any of the three functions of citation (i.e.,
attribution, authority, or research) must be accompanied by a citation, using
footnote references at the very instance when the need for it arises.
• The footnote reference must be placed after a comma (,) or a period (.)
when such comma or period is used to indicate a break or signify the end of a
sentence, except if the integrity of the quoted material will be prejudiced by doing
so.
• On the contrary, footnote references must be placed at the end of a word
immediately preceding a hyphen (-) or an em dash (—). There must be
a space between the footnote reference and the hyphen or em dash following it.
 FOOTNOTE REFERENCES
Footnote References
• Footnote references should also be placed outside of quotation marks and
brackets, but not parentheses.
• If a footnote itself contains an assertion requiring support, a citation to the
relevant authority should appear directly after the assertion. Refer to Part I,
Section G of this Guide for proper understanding of explanatory footnotes.
• If authorities are subsequently cited using supra, the supra note numbers (i.e.,
each properly referring to the footnote number of the initial citation) must be
kept accurate, even after the addition of intervening footnotes in the work.
• When a case is mentioned for the first time in the body and is found in the
middle of a sentence or a clause, the case must be followed by a footnote
reference which provides for the initial case citation without any pinpoint
citation. Another footnote reference is placed at the end of the sentence or
clause if the text requires a citation (i.e., using Id. with the pinpoint citation).
 FOOTNOTE REFERENCES
Footnote References
• However, if the said case is mentioned for the first time in the body but is found
at the end of a sentence or clause, only one footnote reference (i.e., containing
the initial case citation with the pertinent pinpoint citation) placed at the
end of such sentence or clause is sufficient.
 PUNCTUATIONS
Periods
• Periods (.) are used to end declarative sentences and indirect questions.

Commas & Semicolons

• In a series of three or more elements, separate the elements by commas (,). If
the elements in a series are long and complex, or involve internal
punctuation or internal conjunctions, separate them by semicolons (;).
• While commas are used to connect dependent clauses to independent
clauses, semicolons (;) are used to connect closely related independent clauses.
• When a conjunction joins the last two elements in a series, a serial comma,
otherwise known as an Oxford comma, or a semicolon, when proper, is
placed before the conjunction (e.g., Math, English, and Physics).
 PUNCTUATIONS
Colons
• A colon (:) is used to introduce a list or an illustrative quotation, amplification, or
appositive.

Hyphens
○ Use a hyphen (-) to: (1) connect continuing or inclusive numbers, such as dates,
times, and reference numbers; (2) separate numbers that are not inclusive, such
as telephone numbers and social security numbers; or separate the elements of
a compound word that is ordinarily hyphenated in a dictionary or
other authoritative source, such as a wordbook.
○ There should be no space before or after the hyphen.
 PUNCTUATIONS
Em Dashes
• Use an em dash (—) to: (1) denote a sudden break in thought that causes
an abrupt change in sentence structure; or (2) set apart an element added to
give emphasis or explanation by expanding a phrase occurring in the main
clause.
• Em dashes should be preceded and followed by a space.
• To avoid confusion, do not use more than a single em dash or, in the proper case,
a pair of em dashes in any given sentence.

Ellipses
• An ellipsis is a group of three consecutive dots with a space on both sides
of the ellipsis, but no spaces in between the three dots (“ … ”).
• Indicate the omission of words within a quoted passage by replacing the
omitted text with an ellipsis (see Rule 81).
Ellipses
PUNCTUATIONS
• The general rule is that a quotation may end with a punctuation mark even if some
words in the original text are thereby omitted (see Rule 78.2).
• To indicate the omission of words at the end of a quoted sentence,
replace the omitted text with an ellipsis followed by the final punctuation of
the sentence (e.g., “ ”).
● Indicate the omission of a complete sentence within a quoted text by
replacing the omitted text with an ellipsis between the final punctuation of the
preceding quoted sentence and the first word of the following sentence (e.g.,
“”). This may be used in a single, continuous quotation or in a block quotation.
Brackets
PUNCTUATIONS
• Where only one letter, word, or punctuation mark is removed from a quoted
text, use empty square brackets (“[ ]”) instead of an ellipsis. There must be a
space between the brackets.
• When the first letter in a quoted sentence must be changed from lower to
upper case or vice versa, enclose it in square brackets. Refer to Rule 98 on
Capitalization for further guidance.
• Substitution of letters or words, insertion of any material, and conversion of
letter case in a quoted text should be enclosed in square brackets.
• Significant mistakes in the original, if maintained and uncorrected,
should be followed by “[sic]” but otherwise left as it is in the original.
Parentheses
PUNCTUATIONS
● Parentheses, like em dashes, may be used to set apart an amplifying,
explanatory, or digressive thought. However, parentheses are more
informal.
● Parentheses are also used to introduce abbreviations (see Rule 99).
● When parentheses are used to enclose an independent sentence, the
appropriate punctuation must be placed inside the parentheses, in addition
to the period at the end of the footnote.
Numerals
NUMBERS
○ The numbers zero to nine (0-9) are spelled out.
○ The first word of any sentence must always be spelled out. Thus, any
number that begins a sentence must be spelled out.
○ If a number includes decimal numbers, do not spell it out.
○ If a number in a series includes decimal numbers, numerals should be used
uniformly for the whole series.
○ When percentages or peso or other currency amounts are referred to,
use numerals accompanied by the appropriate symbol (e.g., %, P, $) (see
Rule 95). As an exception, when the amounts are within the range of zero
to nine (0-9), then the whole amount must be spelled out, including the
words “percent,” “pesos,” or “dollars.”
○ Numerals must always be used when referring to sections or subdivisions of
statutes or other legal documents.
Ordinals
NUMBERS
○ Ordinal numbers used in the body or text as well as in the citation
references must not be indicated by superscripts (e.g., 1st, 14th, 27th,
145th, 1951st).
○ In the body or text, including explanatory footnotes and parentheticals,
use “2nd” or “3rd” for figures representing ordinal numbers that end in
two or three (e.g., 42nd, 43rd). Note, however, that spelling out ordinals in
the body or text is advisable.
○ In citation references (i.e., based on the citation forms prescribed in
Rules 1 to 77 of this Guide), however, use “2d” or “3d” (e.g., 42d, 43d), not “2nd”
or “3rd.”
 SYMBOLS
Section & Paragraph Symbols
○ Spell out the words “Section” or “Paragraph” when they are contained in the body
or text.
○ In citation references in the footnote text, use the respective symbol forms of
“Section” or “Paragraph” (i.e., §, ¶, and para.).
○ Refer to Part I, Section D of this Guide as to the proper usage of the
written abbreviation of “Paragraph” (para.) in citation references, instead
of the paragraph symbol (¶).
○ For Windows users, the section symbol or silcrow (“§”) is inserted by clicking
Alt + 0167 (or Option + 6 in Mac) while the paragraph symbol or pilcrow
(“¶”) is inserted by clicking Alt + 0182 (or Option + 7 in Mac).
 SYMBOLS
Percentage & Currency Symbols
○ The percentage, peso, or dollar symbols are used when the numbers
accompanying them are in numeral form. Otherwise, spell them out. They
should be spelled out when the numbers are spelled out. Likewise, when these
symbols begin a sentence, they should be spelled out.
○ Do not insert a space between the percentage (%), peso (P), and dollar ($)
symbols and the corresponding number or amount (e.g., 10%, P10,000,
$100,000).
○ Indicate the peso sign in Microsoft Word by using the double strikethrough
function.
 OTHER RULES
Author Names
○ When a work written by one author is cited for the first time, sufficiently
indicate the author’s name in the citation reference.
○ For subsequent citations of a work written by one author, indicate the
last name of the author or the full institutional name, as the case may be.
○ If a cited work is written by two authors, the initial citation reference must
list the authors’ full names in the order in which they appear on the title page
of the work, separated by an ampersand (&). In subsequent citations using
supra, only their last names are indicated, with an ampersand (&) in between.
○ If a cited work is written by three or more authors, the initial citation
reference should indicate the first listed author’s full name followed by a
comma and “et al.” In subsequent citations using supra, only the last name
of the first listed author is indicated, along with a comma and “et al.”
 OTHER RULES
Dates
● Dates in the body or text are written with the day first, followed by the month,
spelled in its entirety, and the year (e.g., 10 December 1948).
○ Dates found in citation references in the footnote text begin with the month,
as abbreviated in Annex B, followed by the day and the year (e.g., Dec. 10, 1948).

Capitalization
● Quotations embedded in the text of a piece may begin with an uppercase or
lowercase letter, depending on the context.
 OTHER RULES
Capitalization
● The words Article, Essay, Comment, Note, Work, Study, Thesis, or Paper
should be capitalized when referring to the written work itself. When referring
to a specific part, section, or chapter of a written work, capitalize Part, Section, or
Chapter.
● Words in a heading or title are capitalized, including the first word and the
word immediately following a colon (e.g., Holmes’ Ideological Influence: An
Examination).
● Articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions in a heading or title
should not be capitalized when they consist of four or fewer letters, unless they
are used as the first word of the heading or title, or when they immediately
follow a colon (e.g., Discipline, Liberty, and the Limits of Police Power:
Introducing Alternative Confinement as a Unified Framework to Explain “Hospital
and House Arrests,” as well as Temporary Releases from Jail or Prison, and
Providing Mechanisms Against Its Abuse).
 OTHER RULES
Capitalization
● Capitalize nouns referring to people or groups (e.g., the Administrator,
the Board) only when they identify specific persons, officials, groups, or
government offices.
● Similarly, capitalize such phrases as “the Act,” “the Code,” “the Executive,”
“the Senate,” “the Congress,” “the Petition,” and so forth only when the
reference is unambiguously identified.
● The phrases “the Court” and “the Constitution” should be capitalized only
when referring to the Philippine Supreme Court and the current Constitution of
the Republic of the Philippines.
● Names of parts of a constitution or statute may be capitalized when used as
proper nouns, as in “First Amendment,” “Article III,” or “Section 8 (e).”
 OTHER RULES
Abbreviation
● Abbreviations are shortened forms of words. Acronyms are abbreviations
formed by using the first letter of each word to form a pronounceable word
(e.g., ASEAN, NASA, laser, scuba). Initialisms are abbreviations read as a
series of letters (e.g., DNA, IQ, PBA, RSVP, URL).
● Abbreviations should be used only if they are easily recognized, and then
sparingly. Parentheses are used to introduce abbreviations.
● In the body or text, periods are generally omitted in abbreviations
(e.g., UN, ICJ).
● In the footnotes, for citation references requiring abbreviations, periods are
used in conformity with Rules 1 to 77 of this Guide (e.g., U.N., I.C.J.),
and with reference to the Lists of Abbreviations found in the Annexes of
this Guide.
Italicization
OTHER RULES
○ Italicize words and phrases to indicate emphasis.
○ In the body or text, the case title is always italicized. Use the full case title
when the case is mentioned for the first time in the body or text (e.g., Cruz v.
Santos), and use the short case title when the case is subsequently mentioned
therein (e.g., Cruz).
○ Italicize non-English words and phrases (e.g., kalikasan), except if they have
been incorporated into common English (e.g., vis-à-vis).
○ Latin words and phrases are generally italicized (e.g., duces tecum,
ejusdem generis, habeas corpus, ignorantia legis neminem
excusat, pro hac vice, res gestae, sub judice), unless they are considered
to be of common usage and are widely used in legal writing (e.g., ad hoc,
alma mater, certiorari, de jure, mens rea, obiter dictum, prima facie).
○ Letters representing hypothetical parties, places, or things are also italicized
for distinction.
Thank you.