GUAM
KUAM
Updated: Oct 05, 2016
By Krystal Paco
Not once, but twice has the Archdiocese of Agana cleared Monsignor James Benavente’s name after allegations of financial mismanagement were made against him. Could they need to clear his name a third time?
One sitting board member of Catholic Cemeteries says they aren’t going to withdraw a complaint they recently filed with the Guam Police Department for the misuse of funds.
Two days ago, the Archdiocese of Agana called-out Attorney Jacque Terlaje and other members of the Catholic Cemeteries board of directors to resign. This after they approved a resolution to file a complaint against Monsignor Benavente with the police. That complaint was filed Friday – just hours after the church cleared his name.
Terlaje said today, “I am compelled to publicly address the statements of the Archdiocese of Agana accusing me of falsifying a certification of a resolution, as the secretary of the board of directors of the Catholic Cemeteries of Guam, Inc.”
The church contends Catholic Cemeteries is an entity of the archdiocese and had no authority to release those documents. The church also contends there was never a meeting or a unanimous vote to pass the resolution. Terlaje argues otherwise and states it was a consent to action meaning no meeting was necessary. “The facts provided to GPD and the AG are the truth,” she continued. “And I am obliged as an officer of the Catholic Cemeteries to protect the funds entrusted to me by the deceased, and by the numerous Catholic families who have buried their loved ones with Catholic Cemeteries.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.