JANUARY 16-19, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 4 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages
Trump impeached for second time, charged with ‘incitement of insurrection’ Fil-Ams across the aisle weigh in on historic impeachment by CHRISTINA
M. ORIEL
AJPress
Hours after being impeached by the House, the White House Twitter account posted a video of President Donald Trump calling for “no violence” in Washington and across the country ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. White House photo
DATELINE
WITH the end of his term approaching, President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 13 became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached
twice by the House of Representatives. The House voted 232-197 on a single article of impeachment, charging the president with “incitement of insurrection,” exactly a week after a violent mob stormed the Capitol as lawmakers were in session, and left five individuals, including a police officer,
USA
Fil-Am veteran police dispatcher dies from COVID-19 in LA
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Air travelers now required to show proof of negative coronavirus test before entering US New measure applies to all foreign nationals and U.S. citizens
THE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday, Jan. 12 that anybody flying to the United States will be required to show proof of a recent negative coronavirus test. Travelers arriving from international airports will be required to take a test for the virus within three days before their departing flight to the U.S. The mandate applies to foreign nationals and U.S. citizens. The CDC’s new rule is an extension of a similar requirement announced last week concerning travelers coming from the United Kingdom, where the new strain of SARS-CoV2 had been recorded. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield signed the order on Tuesday and will be in effect starting Jan. 26, which the agency said should give enough time for travelers to comply and re-arrange plans. u PAGE A3
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‘There’s a lack of national guidance’: Medical professionals lament the ‘slow’ vaccine rollout in the US
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
A FILIPINO American who was a veteran 911 dispatcher in Los Angeles has died of complications related to COVID-19, becoming the LA Police Department’s fourth employee taken by the virus. Police Service Representative III Raymond L. Guerrero, who worked in the communications division, died on Thursday, January 7 at the age of 51, the LAPD announced two days after his death. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we mourn the loss of PSR Raymond Guerrero, who passed away. Our deepest condolences go out to Mr. Guerrero’s entire family, colleagues, and friends in this most difficult time,” the announcement read. Guerrero, the son of Vicente Mandanas Guerrero and Lourdes Lopez, migrated with his family from the Philippines to the United States at a young age. He went on to attend Loyola High School and LA Community College before joining the
dead. Deviating from the rest of their party, 10 Republicans — including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the party’s third-ranking House leader — voted in favor alongside Democrats, becoming the most bipartisan
by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
CROWDED. Commuters boarding a passenger jeepney crowd at the entrance of the vehicle in front of the National Housing Authority building on Elliptical Road in Quezon City on Friday, January 15. Authorities are on high alert despite eased quarantine restrictions to prevent a spike in coronavirus cases. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.
WHEN the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were confirmed to effectively combat the coronavirus, people across the world were overjoyed. Lawmakers in the United States promised a swift, widespread distribution of the vaccine with a projected 20 million doses administered by the end of 2020. But so far, as of the second week of January, only 4.5 million people have received a single dose of either vaccine, prompting public outcry and confusion over who is allowed to be vaccinated first according to the accepted timeline, how to get an appointment and when it will actually be available to the general public. The search and discovery for a COVID-19 vaccine have been priorities since the entire world went into crisis mode following the massive and quick spread of the disease that has infected and killed millions. Late last u PAGE A2
PH eligible again to participate Duterte: Sara won’t run in US H-2B visa program in 2021 for president in 2022, job ‘not for women’ by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Philippines can now participate in the United States’ H-2B visa program again after two years of ineligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), announced the list of countries on Tuesday, January 12. For 2021, the acting secretary of homeland security and the secretary of state have agreed to add the Philippines to the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2B
program. However, it is still not eligible to participate in the H-2A program. The H-2A visa program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to fill temporary and seasonal agricultural jobs, while the H-2B visa program lets U.S. employers bring foreign nationals to the U.S. to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. The Philippines was removed by the DHS from the list in 2019 because the country no longer met “the regulatory standards for the H-2A and H-2B visa programs.” Last year, the ineligibility remained in place. u PAGE A2
Biden unveils new $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has advised his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, against running for the presidency in 2022, claiming that women are not fit for the top government post. In a speech during the inauguration of the Skyway Stage 3 project on Thursday, January 14, he said: “My daughter, inuudyok man nila. Sabi ko, ‘My daughter
is not running.’ I have told Inday not to run kasi naaawa ako sa dadaanan niya na dinaanan ko. Hindi ito pambabae (My daughter, they are urging her [to run for president in 2022]. I said my daughter is not running. I have told Inday not to run because I take pity if she goes through what I went through. It’s not for women).” “Alam mo, the emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. Maging gago ka dito. That is the sad story (You u PAGE A3
Sweeping stimulus plan includes $1,400 direct payments, generous unemployment benefits by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
AHEAD of his inauguration on Jan 20., President-elect Joe Biden announced on Thursday, Jan. 14 a massive coronavirus economic plan to combat the financial burdens of American families due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes $1,400 direct payments to taxpayers. The sweeping $1.9 trillion package — billed as the American Rescue Plan — plans to directly address pandemic-related costs and relief, augmenting previous measures like Congress’ $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill from March and the $900 billion follow
up passed in December that included $600 stimulus checks to millions of Americans. The latter had been scaled back significantly to gain support from Republicans who fought against $2,000 direct payments. But after Democrats took control over the Senate earlier this month, Biden comes into his first presidential term with the momentum that is likely to help pass more ambitious COVID-19 relief measures. “In this pandemic in America, we cannot let people go hungry,” Biden said on Thursday in Wilmington, Delaware where he unveiled his plan. “We cannot let people get The 75-year-old leader has also discouraged his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterteevicted. We cannot let nurses, educators and Carpio, from joining the presidential derby next year, claiming the top government post is u PAGE A4 not fit for women like her. Malacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo