Accusers: Apuron’s fate now up to Vatican

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
May 8, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/05/08/accusers-apurons-fate-now-up-vatican/101421260/

Agat resident Roland Sondia makes a public plea during a press conference at Adelup on Thursday, Sept. 22. Sondia made a public appeal to Gov. Eddie Calvo to pass Bill 326, a measure passed by the Guam Legislature and now before the governor, that would remove the statute of limitations on civil suits regarding sexual abuse of children. Photo by Rick Cruz

As the Vatican continues to receive testimony in the canonical penal trial of Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron, former altar boys who testified in Hawaii on Saturday said it’s now up to Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke and four other judges to decide Apuron’s fate as soon as early summer.

The decision on Apuron will be made public, although there was no mention whether Pope Francis will have a direct role in that decision, former altar boys Roy Quintanilla and Roland Sondia said.

They said this is based on information they got from the Rev. Justin M. Wachs. Wachs serves as the Vatican court reporter for the Apuron trial.

“But from what I understand, every decision is a recommendation to Pope Francis,” Concerned Catholics of Guam president David Sablan said.

Quintanilla, Sondia, along with Sablan, said their hope is for the Vatican to find Apuron guilty of sexual abuse of altar boys, remove him as archbishop and defrock him.

“We've done our part to share our story. It’s now up to five judges, including Cardinal Burke, and it’s also now in the hands of God,” said Quintanilla. “The testimony also became emotional because I had to relive what Apuron did to me.”

Sondiatestified at around 9 a.m. on the same day.