Latino, Asian votes

US President Barack Obama won because he got the solid votes of Latino, Asian and African American voters.

An exit poll showed he got 72% of the Asian voters, up from 65% in 2008. Romney got 57% of white voters, Obama got 39%.

The American population is fast changing. It is projected that Asians and Latinos will continue to have a bigger influence in future elections.

The number of Filipino American voters is estimated at 1.5 million out of 3 million. Many Filipino immigrants have not yet acquired US citizenship.

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FIL-AM WINNERS . . 26 Filipino Americans won elective posts in the US elections.

Rep. Robert Scott, whose mother is Filipina, won his 11th term as US Congressman from the 3rd district of Virginia.

Fil-Am Rob Bonta became the first Filipino to win a state assembly seat in California’s 18th district.

Milpitas City Mayor Jose Esteves won his reelection bid, 11 others won Council or Board seats. In Hawaii, 12 Filipino Americans won state assembly and Senate seats.

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano of Hawaii lost his mayoralty bid for the City of Honolulu.

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MORE KILLINGS, JOURNALIST KILLED . . Following the heinous killing of Cyrish Magalang in Bacoor, Cavite by 2 drug crazed tricycle drivers, a similar incident happened in Roxas, Isabela.

Fifteen-year-old high school coed Diana Rose Bajo was stabbed to death 18 times by a drug crazed tricycle driver, suspect Rolando Esguerra, 47. He also stabbed Bajo’s companion, Vilma Estevez, 15, but she was able to escape and survived.

Radio journalist Julius Causo, 51, was shot dead in Cabanatuan City. He is the 14th journalist killed under the Aquino Administration. Malacañang condemned the killing.

In Caloocan, a jealous husband killed his live-in partner with a 9mm revolver then went out and killed 4 neighbors.

Four Philippine Army soldiers on the way to market were ambushed and killed by NPA rebels in Paquibato, Davao City, four wounded in a grenade explosion in Sultan Kudarat.

PO2 Ronald Pactejon shot dead his live-in partner Kylie Baroca at the Travelers Inn in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The bad crime situation has generated calls for the restoration of the death penalty. There’s support for a harsher penalty for drug addicts committing heinous crimes.

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JBC SHORT LIST . . Former UP Law Dean Marvic Leonen, former Energy Sec. Raphael Lotilla, Court of Appeals Justices Andres Reyes Jr. and Rosmari Carandang got 7 votes each to top the list of 7 nominees for the post vacated by Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Court of Appeals Justices Jose Reyes and Noel Tijam got 6 votes each. De la Salle Dean Jose Manuel Diokno got 5 votes.

The short list of 7 has been submitted to Malacañang. The President has until Nov. 22 to appoint the SC Associate Justice. It looks like Marvic Leonen is the favored candidate.

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STILL CORRUPTION . . Chinese President Hu Jintao warned that corruption was threatening the Communist Party of China and the stability of the government. He warned that unchecked, it could cause collapse of the party.

Recent surveys in the Philippines show that corruption is one of the top three problems of the country, including lack of jobs and high prices.

President Aquino has been seriously pressing his anti-corruption campaign but it is still a daily fact of life in many government offices. Maybe he should assign a deputy president in charge of the corruption campaign. Maybe Sen. Ping Lacson can fill the job.   

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CHEAPER STEM CELL . . Joey Santos has left Villa Medica as country representative and transferred to the Clinic of Dr. Hans Müller also offering stem cell therapy in Edenkoben, Germany. Dr. Müller used to be with Villa Medica. The good news, his price is down to 12,000 Euros, down from 15,000 Euros charged by Villa Medica.

Stem cell therapy has been practiced in Germany since 1931 by Dr. Paul Niehans.

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AMBASSADOR CHARGED . . Amb. Shulan Primavera, Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait, has been charged by a Filipina domestic worker of sexual harassment and underpayment of salary. The Blas Ople Foundation is taking up the case and has filed a case with DFA.

DFA Sec. Albert del Rosario recalled Primavera to answer the charges. The Foundation charged it was irregular for the Ambassador to have released the domestic helper from the OWWA Center without proper documentation. It was also charged that the Ambassador paid the DH only $200 a month and not the prescribed $400. 

This is an interesting case. Let us see how DFA will decide it.

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EXPELLED . . San Beda College expelled 27 of the Lex Leonum Fraternitas for the hazing death of Marc Andre Marcos at a farm in Cavite. SBC suspended 8 other Law students.

The decision was handed down by a 7-man committee on student conduct.

This should serve as a warning to other fraternities.

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TIDBITS . . . BIR Comm. Kim Henares announced that VAT will be collected from condominium rentals and association dues.

In the recent election, Colorado voters approved the legalization of marijuana.

Koreans are buying up houses in BF Homes.

Malacañang is talking about a lower P6 MRT fare hike.

PNP Director General Nicanor Bartolome admits an increase in carjacking incidents.

Sen. Serge Osmeña supports the anti-dynasty bill. He said that the President should set the example.

The PNP has arrested 185 colorum operators.

The Social Justice Society headed by Atty. Samson Alcantara has started gathering signatures for an initiative and referendum to ban political dynasties.

 Happy birthday to Vice President Jojo Binay (Nov. 11) and Dr. Elenita Binay (Nov. 9) and Josie Padilla Rufino.