6 27. On March 22, 1999, the President invited the State and the Commission to a public hearing to be held at the seat of the Court on May 24, 1999, in order to hear the declarations of Javier Velásquez Quesquén and Heriberto Benítez Rivas, witnesses presented by the Inter-American Commission, and the reports of Percy Catacora Santisteban and Jorge Chávez Lobatón, experts presented by the State. Moreover, the President instructed the Secretariat to inform the parties that they could present their final oral summing up on the merits of the case immediately after this evidence had been heard. 28. On April 12, 1999, the witness Javier Velásquez Quesquén requested the Court to excuse him from appearing, since his parliamentary work prevented him from leaving Peru and on April 19, 1999, the Commission requested that José Carlos Paredes Rojas should be called to replace him. On April 23, 1999, the President excused Javier Velásquez Quesquén and summoned José Carlos Paredes Rojas to give testimony on the facts and causes of the detention of Gustavo Adolfo Cesti Hurtado, and on the facts relating to non-compliance with habeas corpus. 29. On May 19, 1999, the witness, José Carlos Paredes Rojas, requested the Court to excuse him from appearing, because his work as a journalist in Peru prevented him from attending the public hearing on the merits of the case. 30. On May 24, 1999, the Court held a public hearing to receive the declarations of the witnesses and the expert presented by the parties. There appear before the Court for the State of Peru: Jorge Hawie Soret, Agent; Walter Palomino Cabezas, Advisor; Sergio Tapia Tapia, Advisor; and Raúl Talledo, Advisor. for the Inter-American Commission: Oscar Luján Fappiano, Delegate; Christina Cerna, Lawyer; and Alberto Borea Odría, Advisor. witness presented by the Inter-American Commission: Heriberto Benítez Rivas; witness presented by the State: Percy Catacora Santisteban; and as an expert presented by the State: Jorge Chávez Lobatón.