Northern Mariana Islands Gov. Arnold Indalecio Palacios died in Guam last week at age 69 after collapsing in his Capitol Hill office in Saipan and being transferred to the neighboring island for specialized care.
After collapsing on July 23, Palacios was taken to Saipan’s Commonwealth Health Center, where doctors recommended he be transported to Guam, 120 miles to the south, for specialized care at Guam Regional Medical City. His office said he died in Guam at about 10:37 p.m. local time that day.
The cause of death has yet to be made public.
Lt. Gov. David Apatang announced his death that evening and was immediately sworn in as acting governor for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)….