Child Sex Abuse Bill Opponent Responds to New Law

By Neil Pang
Guam Daily Post
September 26, 2016

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/child-sex-abuse-bill-opponent-responds-to-new-law/article_155a0f5e-83cb-11e6-888e-73a83ed878c1.html

As Catholic lay protestors hail the signing of Bill 326-33 into Public Law 33-187 as a moral victory, others in the community have not been so quick to embrace the new law.

Dr. Ricardo Eusebio, president of the lay organization "I Familan Mangatoliku Siha Pari Si Apuron," or "Catholic Families for Apuron," told the Post that members of the organization were disappointed at the enactment of the bill because it fails to fully address the injustice perpetrated against victims of child sex abuse.

The new law lifts the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits involving child sex abuse.

"You cannot repair an injustice by creating another injustice," he said. "It specifically discriminates against private institutions and gives the government a free pass."

According to Eusebio, amendments to the law make it so that abuse survivors can sue their abusers and their abuser's aiders and abettors, and opens entities and private institutions to lawsuits under those considerations. However, according to Eusebio, victims will not be able to file suit against government of Guam employees who similarly abused children in their capacity as authority figures within schools and educational facilities.

"What recourse does a child have who has been abused by their teacher, coach, bus driver or anyone in a position of authority in the government of Guam?" he asked. "It is imperative for our government leaders to address not only the few vocal abused, but the silent majority as well."

Eusebio also leveled blame for the passage of the bill on archdiocesan leadership, calling the administration's efforts to stop the bill only "lukewarm" and said that if Archbishop Anthony Apuron had been present, the bill would never have been allowed to pass.

'Perceived injustice of alleged victims'

Eusebio said that because the root cause of all forms of child abuse originate in the family, the bill failed to address the bigger picture.

"Bill 326, in addition to monetary restitution for all, could have been about the types of family support the government would have been able to provide for families identified to be at rsik for child abuse," he said. "Instead, sadly, it focused on the perceived injustice of alleged victims of the Catholic Church."

Eusebio began advocating against the passage of the bill last week as it awaited a decision by the governor on whether to sign it. He further blamed the passage of the bill by the legislature on Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, apostolic administrator to the Archdiocese of Agana. Eusebio's criticism of the archdiocesan administration was fueled by reports that church authorities failed to weigh in on the bill while the legislature was accepting testimony.

"We pray for those victims who wish to pursue civil litigation against the injustices they have received," Eusebio said. "One has to wonder however whether, if successful, the monetary reward was worth it in the end."