Archdiocese Delivers Petition to Veto Sex Crimes Bill with 4,500 Signatures

By Janela Carrera
Pacific News Center
September 21, 2016

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/10933

The Archdiocese of Agana says the church will go bankrupt if bill 326 is passed into law.

Guam - The Archdiocese of Agana collected a total of 4,500 signatures for a petition calling on Governor Eddie Calvo to veto bill 326. The petition, according to the archdiocese, was delivered to the governor Wednesday, about four days after the petition was introduced.

Bill 326 was passed by the Guam legislature unanimously last week and proposes to lift the statute of limitations indefinitely and retroactively for pursuing civil action on child sex abuse claims.

Authored by Sen. Frank Blas Jr., the measure was introduced after the group Silent No More launched a petition drive to collect 100,000 signatures to lift the statute of limitations. The group fell short, however, of their goal. They only collected about 3,000 signatures which was delivered to the legislature earlier this month.

Father Jeff San Nicolas, the delegate to Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, who is the appointed temporary administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, announced the delivery of the veto petition this afternoon. You can read his release below:

Please take note that the petitions to reconsider Bill 326-33 were submitted to the Governor's Office for his review on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 2:50 p.m. More than 4,500 signatures were gathered in a span of four days from the various parishes, schools, and institutions within our Archdiocese. May God bless. - Fr. Jeff