Thursday, October 19, 2017

SECRECY AND EXCOMMUNICATION: ATTORNEYS DISCUSS APURON'S CANONICAL TRIAL

"We understand Your Honor, that the people are sworn to secrecy, and if they expose it that they'll be excommunicated if they expose it." - Attorney John Terlaje, Counsel for Archdiocese of Agana to Judge Gatewood


The attorneys representing Archbishop Apuron and the Archdiocese of Agana discussed the outcome of Archbishop Apuron's canonical trial the other day in federal court.

Does Rome really think that secrecy and threats of excommunication are going to work or make things better here or anywhere else?  SMH.

(Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood presided over the hearing, Jackie Terlaje is the attorney representing Archbishop Apuron, and John Terlaje is the attorney representing the Archdiocese in the civil cases.)


Judge:  The question I have is, I understand, I don't know if it was brought to the court's attention by one of you or somebody else.  There is a canonical trial in Rome, and what is the status of that if anybody knows.  Does anyone know?  And maybe Ms. Terlaje you would know best, or maybe you would, Mr. Terlaje.
Mr. Terlaje:  Maybe Ms. Terlaje knows...
Judge:  Ms. Jackie Terlaje, would you know what the status of that, the disposition on that trial?
Ms. Terlaje [by telephone]:  Your Honor, this is Jackie Terlaje.
Judge: Yes.
Ms. Terlaje: Your Honor, with respect to the canonical trial, there is no information that has been provided as the court may be aware.  The proceedings are completely secret. They're held secret.  So therefore, there's been no information that  has been transmitted to us to indicate that they are prepared to render a verdict on the canonical trial.  And so we are essentially held at abeyance until such time there is a ruling in that matter. I am aware that there was some kind of  closure of the proceedings, but other than that, Your Honor, I have  no further information about a prospective date in which  court will make its ruling.
Judge:  Okay.  Does anybody else have any update, yes, Mr. Ter...
Mr. Terlaje: Yes. Yes, that's correct, Your Honor, there's no decision made as of today.  We understand that proceedings have been completed.  We understand that the decision is being moved around, but no dates are, we have no idea what is going to come out of it.
Judge:  Okay, you have no idea?
Mr. Terlaje:  No, Your Honor.
Judge:  So secret, huh? Is that how...
Mr. Terlaje: We understand Your Honor, that the people are sworn to secrecy, and if they expose it that they'll be excommunicated if they expose it.


24 comments:

  1. Almost sounds like how the present White House runs their administration. "Keep everyone in suspense until the right moment." Very sad!

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    1. Cardinal Burke explained that the secrecy part was there mainly to protect the victims and to give them confidence to come forward. Once a decision is made, it will be announced publicly.

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  2. So confusing! What? No verdict? First, there was a verdict and it just needed signatures. Now the documents are being passed around?

    Two Neo attorneys on hand. One is representing Tony, the other is representing the Archdiocese.

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    1. I don't believe John is Neo.

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    2. John Terlaje is not related to Jackie Terlaje. John is no Neo unlike Jackie who has been brainwashed to think that Apuron is God and Savior. Further, the archdiocese has cut off Apuron from any legal assistance. Apuron is on his won and as far as the archdiocese is concerned, he should stay away forever. Apuron has dome so much damaged to this community that he should be hung out to dry for his sins.

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  3. Each side has an attorney named Terlaje. What's wrong with this picture?

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    1. And both are essentially on the same side, the defendants. Lujan and the others are on the plaintiff side.

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    2. On a tiny island like Guam, what are the chances of two like-minded attorneys named Terlaje being unrelated?

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    3. There has been quite a few attorneys by the name Terlaje so the chances are high. By the way, Jackie Terlaje is no John Terlaje. They are not like minded and that is an insult to John to be compared as such.

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    4. JOHN TERLAJE IS A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY unlike Jackie Terlaje, the trained Lawyer..It is indeed an Insult to compare the 2..

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    5. For general historical information, the pattern of surnames in former Spanish colonies is that everyone had to copy the surname of a well-known occupying soldier, hence the many unrelated people with the same surnames in those countries.

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  4. Americans, and most westerners for that matter, find the idea of secret trials and secret verdicts to be very upsetting. It's redolent of police states.

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    1. In the American system, I understand that trials or proceedings of juveniles are conducted in privacy or in secrecy, and the records are sealed from the public. The purpose is to protect the victims and the minor defendants. Likewise, the secret nature of this particular canonical trial is to protect the victims. So, the idea of secret trails is not repugnant in the American system, although there are differences.

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    2. Trials are not secret in America, Anon 5:54PM. The identity of juvenile victims is protected, but if juveniles are "tried" in the sense that we are speaking of, then they are tried in public trials as adults.

      And the purpose of a secret Vatican trial and secret Vatican verdict is to protect the Bishop, not the victims. The Vatican tries non-Bishops publicly. Read about the Vatican trial of the "Vatileaks" journalists here.

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    3. No - trials that include victims who are minors are done publicly but the name is expunged (minor victim 1, minor victim 2) they are not conducted in secret unless the perpetrator is a minor. If testimony is needed the courtroom is cleared for the minor to testify.

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    4. Unless charged as an adult, “criminal” proceedings against juveniles are indeed conducted in secret. There is no finding of guilt, but offenders are adjudicated juvenile delinquents.

      While not open to the public, juvenile delinquency records remain available to law enforcement.

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    5. It's time to deploy the "Humble Address" gambit here.

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  5. The late pedophile Archbishop Wesolowski's priest-pimp was also sneaked out of the Dominican Republic. He was secretly tried by a Church kangaroo court in Poland and given a 7-year prison sentence last year. No news on whether he was defrocked.

    Reportedly, details of those proceedings will never be released to the public. Probably because the same homosexual turd pimped for other pedophile bishops who are being protected by the Vatican.

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    1. Why was the court in Poland a Kangaroo court? And how can the Church give someone a prison sentence? This sounds like a civil proceeding if a prison sentence was imposed, and if it was, good for the Poland authorities for prosecuting.

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  6. Poland is a backward, old world place. A lot of strange things go on there.

    Pedophile Abp. Wesolowski was ordained bishop by Polish JP2 who was fully aware of his heinous crimes. The extent of the Pope's corruption was concealed by secret proceedings against W's homosexual priest-pimp. The Church wouldn't unload more muck on Poland's hero who also pampered satanic priest Maciel, who is said to be the worst pervert in Church history.

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  7. Time for another anti-Vatican Dan Brown novel. Ask Broown if he's interested in the Apuron saga. If so, the broke Archdiocese could probably make a fortune in consultants' fees.

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  8. The nebulous canonical tribunal is a self-serving kangaroo court that will cover Rome's corrupt ass at the expense of Christian justice. Those Curial careerists won't do anything that compromises their lofty positions and princely retirements.

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    1. More well said than you may know, 2:04

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