Friday, September 16, 2022

Who Is Responsible?

 In the Guam Daily Post, Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood ordered the attorneys representing the Holy See to ask Pope Francis if he can resolve the Guam clergy sex abuse case rather than settling it in court.  The case comes from a lawsuit filed by "D.M." who accused the Vatican of being responsible for former Archbishop Anthony Apuron for sexually assaulting him in the 1990s while he was a student of Father Duenas Memorial School.  My first question is how was the Vatican responsible for the sexual assault of D.M.?  D.M. kept the sexual assault to himself. He never told his parents about it nor did he report it to the police or school principal.  So, how was the Pope responsible?  Did D.M. expect the Pope to read his mind?  The accusation lacks any grounds.  On the other hand, D.M. has a responsibility to report the crime himself, which he failed to do. At the very least, he should have reported it to his parents. 

There was only one such report in Guam of a priest who was accused of child sexual abuse. A victim did come forward and reported Father Brouillard to the Guam Police Department. According to my blog post, dated July 19, 2019: 

And, a self-described, 30 year veteran of the Guam police force, who called into my radio show, stated that he had arrested a Catholic priest who molested a young alter boy on Guam. He stated that after his arrest, the priest admitted to molesting multiple victims on Guam.
According to the retired police officer, this entire incident was covered up by former Archbishop Flores. The alleged offending priest was, according to the retired officer, promptly shipped off-island shortly after his arrest, and never faced justice on Guam. 

 

So, did the Guam Police Department make any effort in getting Father Brouillard back into Guam for prosecution?  Here, we have a very brave young man who reported the sexual abuse to the police many years ago.  Brouillard also admitted that he molested multiple victims when he was arrested by GPD. So, did GPD contact any of those victims to add more charges to the priest?  So many unanswered questions. This negligence is also found in Pornchai's story when he reported his sexual abuse to a school counselor and other authorities. His story was ignored, and his step father, Richard Baily, continued to abuse him and his brother.  If the school counselor and other authorities whom Pornchai reported the abuse had done their job, Richard Baily would have been in jail and Pornchai's mother would most likely be alive today.  Had GPD and other authorities had done their job, Father Brouillard would have been prosecuted and in prison, which would stop any further sexual abuse of boys done by this priest. 

According to Father Gordon's post in his blog, which I previously published, it says that Guam has 103 cold cases.  One of those cold cases involved Pornchai's mother, Wannee Baily.  Attorney Clair Farr has reached out to the District Attorney in Maine.  As a result, an investigation was opened, and Richard Alan Bailey was arrested, found guilty, and imprisoned for child sexual assault.  This same attorney also reached out to law enforcement in Guam and to the Attorney General's office regarding the cold case of Wannee Baily.  There appears to be evidence that Richard Baily also murdered his wife. Richard Baily is charged with child sexual abuse.  He could be charged with the murder of his wife, but there was no response from the Chief of Police and the Attorney General's office in Guam when Attorney Clair Farr contacted them.  Again, another embarrassment for Guam.

It should also be noted that the large majority of child sexual abuse done in Guam occurs OUTSIDE the Catholic Church.  Just look at the newspaper headlines.  Where is the outrage of the people when child sexual abuse are being carried out by family members and friends inside the home?  These family members and/or friends are being brought through the justice system, and there are no picket signs declaring them guilty without a trial.  On the other hand, people came out declaring priests (most of whom have been dead for a long time) guilty without the due process of a trial.   

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