Vatican gets testimony from more Apuron accusers

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
May 7, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/05/07/vatican-gets-testimony-more-apuron-accusers/101396486/

Doris Concepcion, right, is greeted by church goers, during Friday night's mass at Saint Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Sinajana for the 12th year death anniversary of her son, former altar boy Joseph "Sonny" Quinata, who was allegedly sexually abused by Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron in the 1970s. Photo by Haidee V Eugenio

The Vatican tribunal working on Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron’s canonical penal trial will be hearing testimony in California from John Toves, the first person to publicly accuse Apuron in 2014 of sexual abuse, of his cousin.

Led by Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, the tribunal also received a written testimony from John Michael “Champ” Quinata, alleging that Apuron raped his brother, the now deceased former altar boy Joseph Anthony “Sonny” Quinata, when his brother was 9 years old.

Champ Quinata said he’s willing to testify in person if and when necessary. He and his mother, Doris Y. Concepcion, visiting from Arizona, marked the 12th year death anniversary of Sonny Quinata with a Mass at Saint Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Sinajana Friday night.

“The Vatican should defrock him (Apuron),” Champ Quinata said. “He should also go to jail for what he did. Nothing will bring back my brother but the church should continue its efforts to change for the better, and it goes deeper than just Apuron. I think my brother is happy where he is now, because everyone now knows what Apuron did to him when he’s a child.”

Toves said he’s grateful that the Vatican reached out to him so he can personally tell them about Apuron’s alleged sexual abuse of Toves’ cousin, while his cousin was an altar boy at the cathedral, before Apuron became archbishop.

“Oh my God, the Vatican is finally asking me to say my piece, when Apuron didn’t even want to listen to me or see me for years. That’s what I was thinking when I first received an email from the tribunal,” Toves told Pacific Daily News by phone on Sunday. “At the time, nobody wanted to believe the story about Apuron. I’m glad it’s all coming out now.”

"People are now finding ways to heal but that healing will be complete when Apuron is defrocked. He deserves to be defrocked or laicized for a multitude of crimes, both sexual in nature and leadership and embezzlement issues," Toves said.

The tribunal also was scheduled to receive testimony from former altar boys Roy Quintanilla and Roland Sondia in Hawaii Saturday (Sunday Guam time). Sondia, living on Guam, left for Hawaii last week. Quintanilla lives in Honolulu. They are both accusing Apuron of sexually abusing them in Agat in the 1970s.

Quintanilla and Sondia initially didn’t testify in February after their attorney, David Lujan, advised them not to give their testimony to the visiting Vatican tribunal without his presence as counsel. Lujan represents 45 individuals who filed clergy sex abuse civil cases against the Archdiocese of Agana, priests and other entities.

The Vatican tribunal was on Guam Feb. 16-18. Although they didn't hear testimony from Sondia, they heard testimony from other witnesses, including Deacon Steve Martinez, the archdiocese's former sexual abuse response coordinator whom Apuron removed after bringing up clergy sex abuse issues that should have been addressed.

Former altar boy Walter Denton, who accused Apuron of raping him in a church rectory when he was 13 in 1977, personally testified before the Vatican tribunal on March 17 also at the Archbishop’s Mansion in San Francisco.

Concepcion also personally testified before the tribunal in March in Arizona.

Every Sunday morning, the Laity Forward Movement, along with Concerned Catholics of Guam, holds a peaceful picket in front of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna, calling for Apuron's removal as archbishop and his laicization.