GUAM
Guam Daily Post
Louella Losinio | Post News Staff
Roland Sondia yesterday became the fourth Agat resident since mid-May to accuse Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual abuse. He made the accusation yesterday, June 15 during a press conference in front of the Pastoral Office at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña.
“When I was an altar boy almost 39 years ago, at the age of 15, I was molested by then-parish priest Anthony Sablan Apuron. This was a man who I trusted and had a lot of respect for,” Sondia said.
According to Sondia, the incident occurred in 1977 when he was an altar boy at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Agat.
“In the middle of the night, I was sexually molested by Apuron,” he said. “It was around 1 a.m. in the middle of the week when a couple of altar boys and I were asleep on futons on the living room floor at the Mount Carmel rectory. I was awakened when I felt someone tapping on my shoulder and calling my name.”
Sondia said he looked up and Apuron was asking for his help and gestured to follow him to the bedroom. In the dark, Sondia said Apuron put his arms around his shoulder, pulled him closer and asked, “Do you want to try me?” Before he could do anything, Sondia said Apuron started “rubbing my privates.” Sondia asked, “What are you doing?” and told Apuron to stop. However, Sondia said Apuron continued and kept saying, “Just try me.”
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