GUAM
Pacific Daily News
Steve Limtiaco , slimtiaco@guampdn.com October 11, 2016
Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai has replaced the board of directors of the Catholic Cemeteries of Guam, which last month filed a police complaint against Monsignor James Benavente.
The Archdiocese of Agana, which already had exonerated Benavente of allegations that he misused cemetery funds, called the Sept. 30 police complaint, which was not authorized by the archdiocese, insubordinate and a misrepresentation.
The Vatican in June assigned Hon to serve as apostolic administrator for the archdiocese, pending a church investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Archbishop Anthony Apuron.
Hon had called for the immediate resignation of all Catholic Cemeteries board members involved in approving and filing the complaint. Board Secretary Jacqueline Terlaje, who signed the complaint, last week disputed claims by the archdiocese that the complaint was untrue and that the board never met to approve filing it. The complaint states Benavente misused $13,620 in cemetery funds for personal use — an anniversary dinner. The archdiocese stated the spending was authorized by the board at the time.
Terlaje was removed from the board Friday, as were all other Catholic Cemeteries board members, except for Wayne Santos, who had resigned, according to the archdiocese.
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