At Least 25 Clergy Sex Abuse Cases Consolidated

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
March 10, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/03/10/least-25-clergy-sex-abuse-cases-consolidated/98995530/

.S. District Court of Guam Magistrate Judge Joaquin V.E. Manibusan on Friday afternoon approved a joint request by attorneys for the Archdiocese of Agana and at least 25 former altar boys to consolidate all of the clergy sex abuse cases filed in federal court.

Attorney John C. Terlaje, counsel for the archdiocese, and attorney David Lujan, counsel for 25 former altar boys, also jointly asked for, and were granted, a second extension for the archdiocese to respond to the lawsuits.

The filing deadline was March 10. Manibusan approved another extension up to April 10 for the archdiocese to respond to the 25 cases filed by Lujan's clients, and any new cases filed before April 10.

Lujan told Terlaje that he intends to file “several new civil cases in this court in the next few weeks,” the attorneys stated in their joint stipulation, approved by the judge.

Attorney David Lujan speaks during a press conference outside the Cathedral Pastoral Center in Hagatna on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Moments earlier, Walter Denton, 52, seen behind Lujan, announced that he was sexually abused in April 1977, by then-Father Anthony Apuron when he served as an altar boy at the Agat Church. 'I was raped by Anthony Sablan Apuron, who at (this), at that time was a priest at Agat and whom I trusted...,' stated Denton. (Photo: PDN file photo)

Lujan’s clients filed $125 million in child sexual abuse complaints against Catholic priests, including Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron and the Archdiocese of Agana. Most of the allegations are against former priest Louis Brouillard. Apuron, Guam's archbishop for nearly 31 years, is also undergoing a Vatican canonical trial.

Two other Guam law firms that have partnered with U.S.-based attorneys also filed three separate lawsuits this week in the Superior Court of Guam.

The archdiocese’s sexual abuse response coordinator, Deacon Leonard Stohr, this week confirmed that the church also is investigating three new allegations of clergy sex abuse, brought forward by people who are not among those who have sued the archdiocese.