Church responds to latest sex abuse lawsuit

By Steve Limtiaco
Pacific Daily News
December 13, 2016

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/12/13/church-responds-latest-sex-abuse-lawsuit/95358790/

The parish of St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Sinajana, as photographed in 2008.

The Archdiocese of Agana on Monday issued a statement, responding to the latest child sexual abuse lawsuit filed against Guam clergy and the church.

Robert Aguon Perez, 45, on Dec. 7 sued the Rev. David Anderson and the archdiocese, alleging that Anderson started molesting him when he was an 11-year-old altar boy and then started raping him when he was 12 or 13 years old. The lawsuit states Anderson was a priest in Sinajana and a theology teacher at Father Duenas Memorial School.

The archdiocese confirmed that Anderson was a priest who served on Guam in the 1970s and 1980s, under the order of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars.

Anderson was assigned to the St. Jude Thaddeus Church, in Sinajana, from 1978 to 1983, according to the archdiocese, and taught at Father Duenas Memorial School from 1978 to the 1980s.

Perez is represented by attorney David Lujan of the law firm Lujan and Wolff, which has so far filed 12 clergy sex abuse lawsuits against former and current priests on Guam, the archdiocese, and as many as 50 unnamed people who may have helped, abetted, concealed or covered up sex abuses.

“Our prayers go out to Mr. Perez, as well as Mr. Anthony J. Vegafria and Mr. Norman J.D. Aguon, who have also come forward recently with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy of Guam,” the archdiocese stated.

Aguon, 56, of Oregon, has alleged he was sexually abused on Guam from 1969 to 1973 by former island priest Louis Brouillard. Brouillard has admitted to sexually abusing children when he was on Guam.

Vegafria has alleged that Brouillard repeatedly sexually abused him from 1971 to 1974. The abuse happened during Boy Scouts of America activities, and when Vegafria was an altar boy at the San Isidro Catholic Church of Malojloj, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuits are possible after Gov. Eddie Calvo signed a law Sept. 23, lifting the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits for child sexual abuse. The law allows victims to sue their abusers and the institutions that supported their abusers.

“The Archdiocese is committed to ensuring that all people in our care, most especially our young and most vulnerable, are served in safe and loving environments, fully protected from harm of any kind,” the church stated.