GUAM
Pacific Daily News
May 20, 2016
The archdiocese review board may have to do without two more members who decided to remove themselves, following recent sexual abuse allegations against Archbishop Anthony Apuron.
Mariles Benavente, one of the review board members, said she will recuse herself from the review board if they are called to review the specific sexual misconduct complaint against the archbishop.
Juan Rapadas said he resigned from the board on Wednesday. This comes after Vincent Pereda, another board review member, resigned Wednesday, which means the five-member board may need to appoint more members.
The archdiocese said the review board would convene after Roy Taitague Quintanilla, 52, on Tuesday publicly accused Apuron of molesting him 40 years ago when he was an altar boy. Quintanilla is the first alleged victim to openly accuse Apuron of sexual abuse. Quintanilla said there are other victims.
Neocatechumenal Way
For Benavente, a conflict of interest was also the reason behind her decision to recuse herself. She said she will recuse herself because she is walking in the Neocatechumenal Way, a group within the Catholic Church whose members meet in small community settings to worship.
Apuron is also part of the Way. Other Catholics have taken issue with how the group appears to separate itself. Apuron’s ties to the Way have angered a number of Guam Catholics.
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