TESTIMONY of John Michael (Champ) Quinata July 28, 2016

My name is John Michael Quinata, also known as Champ.

Thank you for providing me this opportunity to talk to you on
behalf of my deceased brother, Joseph Quinata, better known as
Sonny, myself, my mother, and my family.

What I wish to share with you today are my childhood memories

of a dark and troubling past, which I have spent most of my life
trying to forget. I have kept them buried deep in my memory
and my heart... a terrible thing that happened to my older
brother. I have tried hard to understand why this had to happen
to him, but at the same time, over the years I had tried to
pretend, for his sake, that it never happened, but it did!

During the year of 1978, when I was 8 years old, I and as many
young boys did, attended regular mass and served as altar boys
at our village parish, Mt. Carmel Church in Agat. While growing
up, I was your typical young boy and at times not so typical. My
days were spent just wanting to have fun, being curious,
exploring, and of course, often getting myself into trouble.

My older brother Sonny on the other hand, was quite the

opposite; he was the respectful one, always obeying my mother
and his elders. He was well mannered, happy and fun loving. We
would both do things together; we would explore the jungle,
play or go fishing.

I recall one day, I was by myself and went into the church when
no one was around and I ate the entire chalice of bread and
drank up all the wine. Later, during mass, Father Apuron opened

the box where the bread and wine was stored, but only to
discover that it was empty! He had to stop the mass and then
asked one of the other altar boys to go and retrieve more bread
and wine because, of course, I had ate and drank it all!

After mass, Father Apuron asked the boys who ate the bread and
drank up all the wine. The boys all pointed at me! I was
punished by being tasked to do groundwork. I had to pick up all
the cigarettes butts and trash around the property of the church.

With that said, I was never invited to spend the nights at the
home of our parish priest, which was Father Apurons place. I
was the disobedient, naughty, and rebellious one.

One morning after my brother spent the night at Father Apurons

place, Sonny came home very upset, angry, in pain, and crying. I
was scared and mad for him. He first asked that I do not repeat
or tell anyone what he was going to tell me. He stated, Father
Apuron touched me. He said he was hurting badly and could
not use the bathroom. I did not understand at that time why he
could not use the bathroom and why he was in pain.

I kept my promise to my brother for 38 years. I never wanted to

repeat it. No one wanted to listen to my brothers plea in the first
place. We tried to tell our mother but she would not listen-she
could not believe it was possible.My brother, Sonny, and I
shared the same bedroom.

I often recall the many nights when my brother would wake me

up because he was crying and punching the bed he slept on. I

tried to comfort my brother by suggesting that we get even and

do something to Father Apuron. One idea I had was to kill
Father Apuron or to beat him up.

After the rape incident, we made several attempts to burn down

the house that Father Apuron lived in, but sadly, we failed and
got caught. I personally poured the lighter fluid around the
house and ran. My brother Sonnys job was to light the matches,
but he got caught by Father Apuron. Sonny told me he was taken
inside the priest house by Father Apuron and punished; he was
crying and told me he did it again!

My brothers demeanor and life changed forever. Mine too.

Sonny became withdrawn, disillusioned, depressed, and angry.
We never spoke about those events for many years. He begged
me to never tell the boys, our friends, cousins or anyone for that
matter.

Prior to those incidents, Sonny was always a happy and fun

brother-it changed him forever.When we eventually left Guam,
my brother hated the church in general and did not trust anyone
associated with it. We no longer acknowledged that we are
Catholics. We would always say that we are Jewish.

My brother also became violent, quick to lose his temper, quick

to pick a fight, then the drug use followed. Drugs and alcohol
consumed his life. It killed him. Sonny would get into trouble
often and didnt care of the consequences. I was a follower since
we were very close and inseparable. I remember often times
when we were drunk and high, he would bring up those dark

events and remind me to promise to never tell what happened to

him.

My brother Sonny was not ready, his coping mechanism did not
allow him to come out and talk about the incident to others,
except for our mom and later, family. Sonny was very ashamed
of what happened to him, ashamed to tell anyone. He was also
sure no one would believe him because our own immediate
family didnt.

During our teenage years, I remember that we had some bad

fights with our mom and close family members because we
blamed her for not believing Sonny and me for what had
happened.

Today, before you senators, the deepest darkest secret between

brothers is revealed. A promise kept for 38 years is now broken.
I can still remember the look on my brothers face the morning
he came home from Father Apurons home when he was
sodomize.

I remember every detail of it. It haunts me daily. A part of me

died when I lost my only brother. I only wish that I could have
done something to help him back then. And at times, I blame
myself too-that I couldnt take away his pain or help him to heal.

I love and miss him deeply I feel that he is now resting in peace
knowing that I am now speaking for him, that Sonny is speaking
through me. It started with our mom several weeks ago. I had no
idea she was coming to Guam and that she was going to say

anything. I had no idea that Sonny spoke to her as he was dying.

I have been estranged with my mom for all these years. I am
happy she made peace with Sonny shortly before he died. I am
happy that she came forward because we have now reconnected
after so many years.

Sonny had a hand in all of this. He now knows that if people

will listen and finally believe him and that there is no longer a
reason for his shame. We were raised and taught as boys to trust
in a higher authority, in God, our Church and priest, and it hurt
him and us so badly. I feel that times have changed and this is
our opportunity to bring this matter and TRUTH to light.

Apuron needs to step down, admit his crime on my brother. We

need to stop him and others from hurting anyone else.

Senators, I know my brother was raped by Archbishop Apuron.

He was sodomized. He was only 9 years old. I loved my brother.
I miss him badly. In looking back, I know that my brother
protected me. He rescued me from suffering the same evil fate. I
ask that you do so now.

Pass this bill. Protect boys and girls from suffering the same evil
fate. This bill is the key to help my brother Sonny, Roy, Roland
and Walter, and others like them to go after their Abusers and the
Institutions that protect or cover for them, for their past crimes
and to deter other potential abusers from doing the same.
Healing cannot begin without Justice.

Apuron and all other abusers need to be held accountable for

their actions, for the pain and lifetime suffering of my brother,
me, my family, Roy, Roland, Walter, their families, and of many
other victims and their families.Saina maase.Thank you for
listening.To Sonny...rest in peace my brother! I love you.
___________________________John Michael (Champ)
Quinata