11 December 16-22, 2021
OPINION Florida...
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lier said they were “looking for a possible black midsize passenger car with front-end damage.” On Monday, Dec. 6, they said they had located the vehicle. Investigation is ongoing. Archer’s death shocked neighbors who were aware of his daily habit and safety precautions. “He’s always wearing the reflective vest. He had a neon hat and a little walking stick all the time,” said Jennifer Laux. “My heart really does out to his family CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO because his life is gone, just like that.” Relatives around the world expressed their grief and consoled each other on social media. “My kids and I can’t stop sobbing as he and his wife were very close to us,” Rosana Robles Fernandez, Lourdes Archer’s cousin-in-law, told Inquirer.net. “Paul was a very good man! Please pray for him.” Formerly a resident of Southern California, Robles Fernandez said she cannot believe she and her daughters have lost a beloved father figure. “Paul and Lourdes used to come to the Philippines every year. They loved Tagaytay, where they planned to buy a house,” said Robles Fernandez, now living in San Juan City, Metro Manila, with her daughters Nash and Nichole after their father Bing Fernandez died in EDITORIAL Los Angeles. The Archers were longtime residents of Washington State, where Paul was born. He celebrated his 70th birthday just two months ago. “They moved to Florida to be near the base,” Robles Fernandez said, referring to the US Naval Base in USN Lt. Comm. Paul Archer t was a question asked of then President Richard Nixon when the truth about the Pensacola. was dedicated to naval serWatergate scandal slowly came to light. Was the 37th President of the United Lt. Commander Paul Lawrence Archer dedicated vice. States part of the plot or was it all the doing of the men closest to him? his life to the US Navy. He attended the University of The Watergate tapes would show that Nixon knew everything at the earliest Washington in Seattle on a naval scholarship in 1970. stages of the aborted break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquar- Four years later he was commissioned as a Navy officer. In 1984 he was promoted Lieutenant Commander. He officially retired in 1994, concluding a 20-year career ters. that earned him the National Defense Service Medal, a Sea Service Deployment Now that same question is being asked of former president Donald Trump. This Ribbon with three bronze stars; and the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service time, the yet unanswered question is about the January 5 insurrection, an event infiRibbon with three bronze stars. nitely more serious than a simple failed break-in. Naval service also led him to the love of his life. While stationed in Manila in What sketchy data that has come out thus far does not appear to bode well for the 1981, he met and married Lourdes Fernandez, daughter of a former governor of 45th POTUS. Jolo. They were loving partner for 40 years. Together they cheered their hometown It cannot be denied that there is growing impatience with the January 6 committeams Seattle Seahawks and Washington Huskies, even after relocating to Florida. tee’s apparent slow pace at ferreting out the truth about what happened on that fateful Post-service he worked as insurance adjuster. They enjoyed traveling, especially day. ocean cruises, said Robles Fernandez. That impatience was alleviated somewhat this week after the investigative body His obituary stated: “Paul never met a stranger—his intense curiosity about life, recommended the criminal prosecution of former president Donald Trump’s former his bountiful knowledge about history, people and places, and(Continued on page 27) chief of staff Mark Meadows for attempting to obstruct the ongoing investigation. Meadows had initially agreed to cooperate with the committee by surrendering thousands of pages of documents related to Mr. Trump’s role in the event, but then took a 180 degree turn by suddenly refusing to continue revealing what he knew. His about face may have been triggered by the public statements made by Trump Philippine News Today is published weekly by Philippines Today LLC with business and editorial offices at 6454 regarding the book that Meadows wrote, details of which proved embarrassing to the Mission Street, Daly City, CA 94014., with telephones 650.757.1480, 650.872.3200, 650.552.9775 and website former president. address www.pnewstoday.com and email address advertising@philippinestodayus.com or editor@philippinestodayus.com Trump had actually done the foreword for the book and praised its author before MANILA OFFICE: Le Marquis Townhomes, 51 P. Tuazon Blvd. Quezon City 1112, Tels. 8546.8426, 8451.1892, 8546.8421 such ugly details as his having tested positive for COVID-19 days before his debate FRANCIS ESPIRITU with then candidate Joe Biden. Publisher/President MARILYN B. KING It was pretty reckless of Trump to endanger so many people that he came into conTHELMA L. CRUZ ALFRED G. GABOT Vice President Vice President Editor-in-chief tact with before he was finally rushed to the Walter Reed Hospital, where he recovered for Sales and Marketing for Operations & Promotions CLAIRE M. TRUE soon enough. But not before a number of men and women with access to the Oval BETING LAYGO DOLOR CHERIE QUEROL MORENO Managing Editor Manila Editor Executive Editor Office were themselves infected. That potentially dangerous act by the twice impeached, one-term president was not JUNNI RANILLO NEIL GONZALES JO ERLINDA YABUT LYDIA SOLIS Entertainment Editor Chief Correspondent Entertainment Editor Chief Correspondent the worst of Meadow’s revelations, it now appears. Northern California Southern California What Meadows now refuses to discuss even with the risk of facing up to a year in ANGELO LOPEZ MA. CECILIA G. MADELO THOMAS G. MADELO JR. jail is what Trump knew about the plans of the insurrectionists. Cartoonist Graphic Director Creative Director There remain many questions that the House committee is expected to answer beELEANOR SMITH Office Manager GILDA PASION BALAN BLESIE D. SISON fore they complete their probe, which should be sometime in the spring of next year. FRANCO G. REGALA ALBERT MARTINEZ NICK SAGMIT What is becoming increasingly clear is that the mob that came close to completely ALI MACABALANG RENE AMON GEORGE GANGE Account Executives JEANNE MICHAEL PENARANDA overrunning the Capitol were part of a larger plan which would have installed Trump RENE AVENIDO Manila Correspondents Photo Correspondents as a president without a mandate. The man at the center of that plot could not possibly be the chief of staff of the VAL G. ABELGAS, HOMOBONO A. ADAZA, PERRY DIAZ, JOJO LIANGCO, JO ERLINDA G. NEBRES, ROY C. MABASA, ART G. MADLAING, president, who surely was acting on the orders of his superior. FR. JOEPEL PADIT, RODEL E. RODIS, LOURDES TANCINCO ESQ, MELANDREW T. VELASCO, It may be difficult to prove at this stage, but it is logical to surmise that Trump DANTES & CYNTHIA VELUZ, CRISTINA OSMENA, LUDY ONGKEKO. COLUMNISTS had somehow gotten to Meadows and told him in no uncertain terms to back off. The The views and opinions expressed herein by writers, columnists and advertisers are their own and do not necesstrong message could have come from someone very close to Trump if not from the sarily reflect those of the publisher, management and staff of Philippines Today. We are not responsible for former president himself. incorrect printing, photographical errors or information listed or for loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts. Reproduction or redistribution in whole or in part is prohibited. Little by little, the truth is coming out.
What did he know and when did he know it?
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