Man alleges he witnessed Apuron abuse

By John O'connor
Guam Daily Post
September 13, 2016

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/man-alleges-he-witnessed-apuron-abuse/article_9daab7dc-78a4-11e6-bef5-a76f945e0fe4.html

A 62-year-old man from Chalan Pago has come forward claiming to be a witness to another incident of alleged sexual abuse by Archbishop Anthony Apuron.

Ramon Afaisen De Plata said that in March 1964, he was a 10-year-old altar boy at Our Lady Peace Parish in Chalan Pago. While staying overnight with about eight other altar boys in the parish rectory, De Plata said he saw Apuron – a seminarian at the time – and another clergy member, Rev. Antonio Cruz, engaging in sexual activity with another 10-year-old altar boy. 

"The restroom was located inside (Cruz's) bedroom. I woke up late in the night to use the restroom. When I entered Pale Cruz's bedroom, I saw Pale Cruz lying on the bed naked. One of the altar boys was on the bed naked," De Plata stated in a written testimony.

The boy was lying on his side and performing fellatio on Cruz, De Plata stated, while Apuron performed fellatio on the boy. De Plata turned away from the scene and headed toward the bathroom, only for Apuron to follow him and place an arm around his shoulder. De Plata said his older brother, also an altar boy, suddenly appeared behind them and the two left the rectory. De Plata said they opted not to speak to each other about what they saw that night. 

De Plata is the fifth person to make allegations against Apuron but also the sixth to accuse clergy members of sexual misconduct. Walter Denton, Roy Quintanilla, Roland Sondia, Doris Concepcion – on behalf of her late son Joseph Quinata – and 73-year-old Leo Tudela have all given testimony of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of clergy in Guam.

De Plata said he believes there are more victims and said he came forward with the intention of encouraging victims in Chalan Pago to speak out about their abuse. He told the Post that he specifically knew of one individual who was abused but does not want to identify him, hoping that he will come forward on his own.

Hon fields criticism

Upon arriving in June, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, apostolic administrator for the Archdiocese of Agana, has fielded criticism for perceived inaction regarding accusations against Apuron. Hon has since taken several steps to bridge the archdiocese and a displeased Catholic community. He has retracted negative statements Apuron made about his accusers while he still headed the archdiocese and has announced revisions to church policy regarding claims of sexual misconduct by church officials. Specifically, under the new policy the archbishop would be required to recuse himself from proceedings if allegations are made against him.

But De Plata said Hon could do more to prove his commitment to alleged abuse victims.

"He needs to come out and listen to us," De Plata added. "What I see right now is he doesn't want to focus on these, that there is abuse of the altar boys in the Catholic church."

Even after the incident, the boy who De Plata saw with Apuron and Cruz still acted normally around him. De Plata said he doesn't believe the boy knew he witnessed the event. 

"I never did ask him, 'What made you do it?'" De Plata said. "I was so confused and everything, I just didn't want to embarrass him. I didn't even tell my mom and dad."

Later incidents

But De Plata eventually did talk to his mother about alleged sexual misconduct from Cruz after a second incident where the priest allegedly masturbated in front of him. De Plata said that about two or three months after the incident with the boy, he was called to the rectory by Cruz while walking to an old bus stop near the church. As he entered Cruz's room, De Plata said he saw the priest in "what appeared to be a love seat, masturbating." Cruz allegedly asked De Plata to take some money from a table but De Plata refused and left. 

De Plata said he told his mother of the event after school. He said he learned later that this incident was the reason his mother would follow him and his siblings closely when closing the church after 7 p.m. However, his mother could not prevent Cruz from allegedly abusing De Plata again. Just two weeks after the second incident, De Plata said that while he was passing the church social hall, Cruz asked him to help catch some chickens that escaped their coop. While De Plata was catching the chickens, he said he noticed Cruz masturbating inside the coop. De Plata said he left and stopped serving as an altar boy shortly afterward.

Both Cruz and the boy in the incident with Apuron are now deceased, De Plata said.

De Plata is retired from the U.S. Army. While serving a permanent change of station at Port Louis, Washington, he said he attended an event in 1994 that Apuron also attended. De Plata said he shook Apuron's hand at that event.

"I said, 'I know you when I was an altar boy in Chalan Pago and you were still in the seminary.' And just like that he walked away from me," De Plata said. "Maybe I sparked something that he didn't want to hear."