testimony is truly indispensable at a public hearing, taking into account the circumstances of the case and the object of the testimonies and expert opinions. C.1. Statements to be rendered by affidavit 20. Bearing in mind the provisions of Article 50(1) of the Rules and the indications of the representatives in their definitive list of deponents (supra Having Seen 7), the object of the statements offered, as well as the principle of procedural economy, the President deems it appropriate to receive, through affidavits rendered before a notary public, the statements of the following alleged victims: Nilda Gutiérrez, Francisco Virgilio Gutiérrez, Jorge Gabriel Gutiérrez, David Gutiérrez and Marilín Gutiérrez, all offered by the representatives. Also, the President considers it pertinent to receive by affidavit the expert opinions of Mrs. María Victoria Pita and Mrs. Lila Caimari, and of Messrs. Ricardo Favarotto, Gabriel Eduardo Pérez Barberá, Alejandro Rúa, Luis María Chichizola, Julián Axat and Ignacio Cano, offered by the representatives. 21. In application of Article 50(5) of the Court’s Rules of Procedure, the President proceeds to grant the State an opportunity to submit, if it so wishes, any questions considered pertinent to the deponents and expert witnesses offered by the representatives and mentioned in the preceding paragraph, as appropriate. Upon rendering their statements before a notary public, the deponents must respond to those questions, unless the President decides otherwise. The corresponding time limits shall be specified in Operative paragraph 2 of this Order. The aforementioned statements shall be transmitted to the Inter-American Commission, the representatives and the State. In turn, the State may present any observations deemed pertinent within the term indicated in this Order (infra Operative paragraph 4). The Court shall assess the evidentiary value of these statements in due course, taking into account the points of view, if any, expressed by the State in exercise of its right to defense. C.2. Statements to be received at a public hearing 22. The Court records in the instant case are now ready for the opening of the oral proceedings regarding the merits and possible reparations and costs, and therefore the President deems it appropriate to convene a public hearing to receive the statement of Nilda Maldonado de Gutiérrez, alleged victim, and the expert opinion of Alberto Binder, both proposed by the representatives. D. Final oral and written arguments and observations 23. The representatives and the State may present to the Court their final oral arguments regarding the merits and possible reparations and costs, once the statements of the alleged victim and the expert witness have been rendered at the public hearing. As established in Article 51(8) of the Rules, once the arguments of the representatives and the State have concluded, the Inter-American Commission shall present its final oral observations. 24. According to Article 56 of the Rules of Procedure, alleged victims or their representatives, the State and the Commission may submit their final written arguments