By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

MANY of Guam’s criminal case evidence are stuck in the laboratory. They are waiting for tests, and experts are struggling to preserve them. That is why the Guam Supreme Court and the administration were excited to unveil a plan to build a new forensics laboratory after 35 years of dreaming to have one.
The Guam Police Department and the Attorney General’s Office recently vowed to solve murder and homicide cases but with the condition of the current crime laboratory, the rate of success remains low.
For 16 years, Monica Ada and Zenobia Lynn of GPD’s Forensic Science Division have been working in a crime laboratory that was built by the U.S. Navy as a photo laboratory in Tiyan.
They described the building as very “unfriendly” to equipment needed to protect and preserve crime evidence. The building has no plumbing, no electrical devices and no steady power source, they said.
And because of the primitive condition of the crime laboratory, Guam never made it to the list of the National Forensic and Crime Laboratory Accreditation.
Ada said this is the same reason why the GPD Forensic Division cannot recruit more crime laboratory experts to work with them.
Ada said it will cost at least $31 million to have a nationally recognized crime laboratory with at least 29 workers to serve as crime scene officers, drug and firearm chemists, and administrative staff members to serve a 24-hour shift.
Capt. Fred Chargualaf said the construction of the $5.9 million facility will not only enhance the ability to process the normal requests of GPD and the courts for evidence, but will also help investigators in processing evidence for cold cases.
“One of the things that we don’t want to hamper is the DNA processing. Not only it helps law enforcers instantly but it can also help the judiciary in determining the weight of the crime based on the evidence we can process in a timely manner,” Chargualaf told Variety.
Lynn said in preserving evidence, the crime laboratory needs a sterile environment that has an air filter to preserve evidence from mold, algae and other biological elements.
“We have to work in a room that is not fully air conditioned. We have to watch out for our own sweat to drop. These are environment that are not friendly for forensic technology,” Lynn added.
Supreme Court Chief Justice F. Phillip Carbullido announced that the construction of the new laboratory will begin within 18 months in Mangilao, close to the Guam Community College campus.
The design for the construction will be available in the next four to six weeks.
“I am very excited about it. This is a dream of Guam law enforcers for over 35 years,” former GPD chief and now Sen. Frank Ishizaki said.
Ishizaki, a former FBI member, initiated the opening of a crime laboratory for Guam in 1971.
In 1972, the crime laboratory conducted evidence handling, serology, drug testing, toxicology, firearms examinations, identification and fingerprint identification.
With the new facility, services like DNA analysis and upgrades to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System and the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network will be made available.
Gov. Felix P. Camacho said the new services will not only bring technology up-to-date but will also have the potential to solve crimes very quickly, close cold cases, and even deter would-be criminals who will figure that it would be hard to commit a crime without being caught.
Lt. Gov. Mike Cruz said the new crime laboratory is just part of the administration’s overall mission to improve public safety.
“This new crime lab will be of tremendous benefit to the entire criminal justice system,” Cruz said.
Superior Court Judge Arthur Barcinas expressed excitement with the new crime laboratory, saying that it will have a domino effect on the work of court personnel.
“It will mean efficient and faster determination of the case which will be equally beneficial to the community, the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary,” Barcinas said.
Chief Prosecutor Phil Tydingco said having a modern crime laboratory helps corroborate evidence and strengthen a case.
“It will support aggressive prosecution with sound and solid forensic evidence. It will also help in providing exculpatory evidence like DNA and will enhance the crime justice system,” Tydingco added.
Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco said the new crime laboratory will be a tremendous contribution to law enforcement efforts in prosecuting crimes and ensuring that justice is served.
“As a former prosecutor, I had the opportunity to work with the criminalists of our crime lab and I know first hand the value and significance of the work that they do and their contributions to the law enforcement efforts in regard to prosecution. Ultimately, all of these will be translated to a safer community,” Limtiaco said.
A financing agreement of up to $5.9 million to construct a crime laboratory was made through a public law authored by former Gov. Joseph F. Ada.