GUAM
Pacific News Center
Written by Janela Carrera
SNAP Western Regional Director Joelle Casteix issues apology to John Toves regarding her comment that sex abuse allegations were “only rumors.”
Guam – In the latest development on the sex abuse allegations involving the Archbishop, SNAP has issued an apology to John Toves who accused Archbishop Anthony Apuron of molesting his relative. SNAP had initially called the allegations only rumors.
It’s the first time sex abuse allegations were ever made public against Archbishop Anthony Apuron and Toves says it’s a secret he’s held on to for nearly three decades. But Toves had had enough, which is why he’s decided that he’ll make the accusations on behalf of his relative instead.
Last week, Toves accused the Archbishop of molesting his relative back in the early 80s. At the time, he told PNC, Apuron was not yet an Archbishop, he was a rector. Toves says his relative was so traumatized by what happened that at one point he even attempted suicide.
Toves even says that while it’s the first time these allegations were made public, it’s no big secret. He says many seminarians will back his claim and that his relative even confided in another priest at the time.
But his allegations quickly unraveled as SNAP, or the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests seemed to counter Toves’ claims, calling allegations “only rumors.” SNAP Western Regional Director Joelle Casteix did note in her interview with PNC last week that she considered them rumors but only because no alleged victim of the Archbishop has ever come forward.
Nevertheless, Casteix issued an apology to Toves saying she did not mean to suggest that Toves himself was spreading rumors.
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