HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Three detainees were hospitalized after an altercation with their cellmate Friday morning.
Department of Corrections Maj. Antone Aguon stated in a press release that, at around 11:45 a.m., “three local detainees housed at the Federal Detention (Facility) were transported to the Guam Memorial Hospital for non-life threatening injuries they received after an altercation with one of their cellmates.”
In separate statements made to the Guam Daily Post, Aguon explained that the Federal Detention Facility in Hågatña is composed of four blocks, one of which is used for inmates charged in the District Court of Guam. Aguon confirmed that the morning incident occurred in the block where local detainees are held.
In the press release, Augon stated that the Guam Police Department was contacted and the alleged assailant was transferred to the DOC facility in Mangilao.
No other details could be release due to the ongoing investigation, Aguon stated in the release.
GPD spokesperson Officer Berlyn Savella could only confirm that the police department responded to the incident, and that the investigation is still developing and in its preliminary stages.
Prior incidents
Within the past year and a half, a total of five inmates at DOC have either died or were found injured, according to Post files.
The most recent incident was on June 22, when DOC reported that an officer assigned to Post 16 of the Adult Correctional Facility in Mangilao discovered an injured 36-year-old inmate.
A police investigation into the injury was completed weeks later with no arrests being made, Post files state.
Earlier this year, in April, two detainees were sent to the hospital where they were confirmed to have died.
The first report was made April 10. A 36-year-old male detainee was found unresponsive and transported to GMH, where he was pronounced dead by medical staff, Post files state. GPD launched an investigation and confirmed there was no foul play involved in the death.
The second incident occurred April 27, when a detainee housed at the Mangilao prison was admitted to GMH for an undisclosed medical condition. Two days later, with his family present and under medical supervision, the detainee died, DOC stated.
Two inmates died at DOC last year.
In the more recent case, 45-year-old Michael John Mendiola died in October 2022. According to Post files, Mendiola experienced a medical emergency and was transported to GMH, where he was later pronounced dead.
The other death occurred July 31, 2022, when Cesar Dizon, a murderer serving a life sentence, was allegedly stabbed by M.B. Koto. Koto faces charges of aggravated murder and is awaiting trial. He was accused of stabbing Dizon 10 times in the chest, according to court documents.
This file photo shows the Department of Corrections Hågatña Detention Facility on Oct. 20, 2023.
