6 on May 14; it was difficult to be more specific as to number and identity because the bodies had disappeared. Nevertheless, 22 victims were identified by name. The Commission transmitted this petition to Peru on November 29, 1988, as Nº 10.264. Without prejudging as to the admissibility of the petition, the Commission asked Peru to supply whatever information it deemed appropriate within the prescribed time limit of 90 days. That note was retransmitted on March 1, 1989. 16. On July 8, 1988, the Commission received another petition which complemented the one described above and gave rise to case Nº 10.206. According to the petition, which was transmitted to the Government on July 11, some witnesses to the events in Cayara had been arrested in their homes on June 29, 1988. Among them were Guzmán Bautista-Palomino, Gregorio Ipurre-Ramos, Humberto Ipurre-Bautista, Benigna Palomino de Ipurre and Catalina RamosPalomino, whose whereabouts are unknown. The relevant parties to the petition approached the Government again on February 22, 1989, and September 7, 1989, without eliciting a response. 17. On December 16, 1988, the Commission received the petition that gave rise to case Nº 10.276. According to that petition, the Mayor and Secretary of Cayara, who had witnessed the events that occurred on May 14, were murdered on December 14, 1988, together with the driver of the truck in which they were travelling. The name of the Mayor was Justiniano Tinco-García, the Secretary was Fernandina Palomino-Quispe, and the truck driver was Antonio Félix García-Tipe. The petition was transmitted to the Government on December 29, 1988, and it was asked to provide pertinent information. The Commission repeated this request for information to the Government on September 8, 1989. The Government did not provide any information on the subject. 18. On September 13, 1989, the Commission received a new petition regarding the Cayara Case, Nº 10.446. This one referred to the assassination of nurse Martha Crisóstomo-García, one of the principal eyewitnesses to the events that occurred in Cayara who was still alive. She was shot to death on September 8, 1989, in her home in Huamanga, Ayacucho, at three in the morning. The petition was transmitted to the Government the very day of its receipt, September 13, 1989, without eliciting any response. According to the Commission, the petition was retransmitted to the Government on March 13, 1989 (sic), and April 12, 1990. The Government made no reply, despite the fact that the Commission pointed out, as it had in the previous case, that if no answer were forthcoming the Commission would begin to consider applying Article 42 of its Regulations. That article provides that when a government fails to respond, the facts reported in the petition are presumed to be true. 19. In view of the fact that no reply had been received from the Government in case Nº 10.264, on June 9, 1989, the Commission sent the Government a note indicating that it would consider the application of Article 42 of its Regulations. That note was retransmitted on September 7. On September 29, the Representation of Peru before the Organization of American States (OAS) declared that “the proceedings within our domestic jurisdiction have still not been concluded. The delay in replying to the ICHR’s request can be attributed to the need for strict compliance with the rules guaranteeing the administration of justice which are contained in the Constitution of the Republic of Peru.”