BishopAccountability.org

Lujan still has doubts about Limtiaco's appointment to Hope and Healing board

By Janela Carrera
Pacific News Center
April 24, 2017

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/13397


Attorney David Lujan said he would let Attorney Michael Caspino know this week if he agrees with Alicia Limtiaco's nomination to the Hope and Healing Guam board.

Guam - Former US Attorney and Attorney General of Guam Alicia Limtiaco has been named the board chairperson for the Hope and Healing program, but Attorney David Lujan’s continued to express some reservation with her nomination since for most of his career, she’s always been on the opposite side.

The media was invited to a Sunday press conference at the Hilton Resort board room for the formal announcement of the chairpersonship of the Hope and Healing Program.

Limtiaco will now head the evaluation board that will be made up of seven members. She addressed any previous concerns that Hope and Healing had any ties to the Archdiocese of Agana and noted that despite being catholic herself, Limtiaco said her faith will have no influence over her role in assisting victims of abuse.

"It has been made clear to me and I have been reassured that this board will be an independent board, that we will not be controlled by the archdiocese, that we are not a board that is here to defend the church or the archdiocese or any perpetrators of clergy abuse," asserted Limtiaco.

We asked the program’s executive director Attorney Michael Caspino if Attorney David Lujan had been consulted prior to Limtiaco’s appointment. The matter had been an issue for Lujan, who previously expressed concern that the program was not truly independent since the church is funding the effort. Lujan represents more than 40 of the plaintiffs suing the archdiocese of civil claims of sexual abuse.

"His initial reaction was very positive, but he said he’d think about it for a couple of days," said Caspino. 

In an interview with PNC today, Lujan said, "The only reservation I have is simply that Alicia has always been on opposite sides."

Lujan has a long history of defending murder and drug cases while Limtiaco was either Attorney General or US Attorney for the Marianas.

"I’m still feeling it out. I’ve not quite agreed to it but so far everything--the people I talked to have nothing but positive things to say," acknowledged Lujan.

Caspino emphasized that Limtiaco’s nomination was not made because of her legal background but because of her work in advocating for victims of abuse.

"It was the character, it was the integrity and the respect that she garners throughout the island," Caspino explained. "But I can say that just about every person I’ve talked to out there had nothing but respect for Ms. Limtiaco and nothing but great things to say about her."

In the meantime, in order to prepare for the potentially large amount in compensation the archdiocese will dole out with the "dozens and dozens" of calls already made into the Hope and Healing hotline, Caspino said the church is already in the process of liquidating assets. Clearly, the $1 million in seed money provided by the church will not be enough.

"I know that there’s a list of assets but I have not seen that but I do know that some of them are already on the market," Caspino said.

Caspino says a separate board was also created to oversee the administration of the Hope and Healing program. The three-member board will be announced Tuesday.




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