The Archdiocese of Agana has urged Gov. Eddie Calvo to veto Bill 34 after senators passed it by a vote of nine to six last week.
The bill received widespread criticism and unleashed a series of debates, accusations and scrutiny among lawmakers, the Catholic Church and members of the community.
Bill 34 will give a two-year window for victims of childhood sex abuse to pursue civil actions against their perpetrators.
It is a companion legislation to Bill 33, also authored by Cruz, which removes the statute of limitations on sex crimes against minors.
“Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron has spoken to a number of senators about the archdiocese’s concerns and also shared the church’s view with the governor’s office,” a press release from the Archdiocese of Agana stated.
“We are hopeful that Governor Calvo will veto the bill,” it added.
The archdiocese argued that while it supports Bill 33 because it prevents future abuse, the measure “does nothing to protect our children.”
Although the archdiocese acknowledged the personal and emotional debate that ensued during last week’s legislative session, it maintained that the bill, even as amended, is “flawed” and “vague” and could result in “unintended consequences.”
“Although lifting the statute of limitations in extreme cases of criminal behavior like murder or the sexual abuse of children is warranted, such actions should only be done with great care and prudence,” the media release stated.
“The Archdiocese of Agana is committed to taking every step possible to protect our children from abuse, while encouraging all victims to come forward to report crimes that may have been perpetrated against them. We will continue our efforts in the coming months to support community efforts to eliminate abuse of children wherever it occurs,” it concluded.
However, Cruz argued that Bill 34 does, in fact, protect children from being sexually abused.
