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For the past 21 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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THE NAKED TRUTH. A half-naked Father Elvis Elano poses for a photo allegedly taken inside the bedroom of a Queens woman.
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Queens woman reveals sexual relations with Viagra–popping Filipino priest, sues him for $25 million.
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NEW YORK– Even in sin, Father Elvis Elano invokes the name of God. This is what Judith Rodrigues–Lytwyn, a 50-year old woman from Queens alleges in a $25 million lawsuit she filed against her former lover-priest.
According to her statement, Father Elvis took advantage of her emotional state after a rough divorce with her drug-using husband. This happened, allegedly, inside the confessional booth of Our Lady of the Snows Church in Queens where, she said, Father Elvis seduced her and suggested to have a “God ordained” sexual affair with him.
“'I was going through a very rough patch in my life and I was looking for some spiritual guidance, and finding some peace from a religious perspective. And he essentially took advantage of that. I was overwhelmed by his advances. Once I got my head on straight, I realized that he preyed upon me,” Lytwyn said.
Lytwyn also revealed that Father Elvis used Viagra whenever they do sexual intercourse. She also included in her statement a printed out invoice for Viagra that he ordered on KwikMed, a Salt Lake City online pharmaceutical store. The invoice was addressed to Elvis Elano and shipped to a New York address. The affair lasted for seven months often consummated in her residence and sometimes in motels around New York.
Lytwyn decided to break–off the affair after learning from Father Elvis, through an email, that he developed rashes in his groin and thigh area. She believes that the rashes were sexually transmitted from sexual partners other than Lytwyn.
“This guy knew what he was doing,” said Andrew Laufer, Lytwyn’s lawyer.
“We feel that he's done this before, exploited a woman such as her, who's in the middle of a divorce, who's been physically abused, and whose self esteem and self-confidence is as a low. He manipulated that.”
On Thursday, October 30, the Diocese of Brooklyn issued a statement on the Elano case, which reads as follows:
“ In August of 2008 Ms. Judith Rodrigues-Lytwyn informed the Diocese of Brooklyn that she had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a priest who had served in the diocese. Despite repeated requests on the part of diocesan officials, she neither would name the priest nor would she identify the parish in which the priest had served.
We understand that yesterday the parish Our Lady of the Snows was served with a summons. Today documents have been turned over to counsel for review. We have not had the opportunity to review the summons and therefore have no statement regarding the lawsuit at this time.
Reverend Elvis Elano was ordained a priest in the Philippines on December 3, 1992. He is a member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity and not a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. He has served in three parishes of the Diocese of Brooklyn – Immaculate Conception Church, Astoria (August 8, 2001-June 28, 2004); Our Lady of Grace, Gravesend (June 28, 2004 – June 30, 2007); Our Lady of the Snows, Floral Park (June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2008). He left the Diocese of Brooklyn to serve in the Archdiocese of New York.”
The statement was released to this reporter through the office of The Rev. Kieran Harrington, spokesman for the Diocese of Brooklyn
Meanwhile, some parishioners believed that Ms.Lytwyn was just in it for the money. “ She had to make money out of her mistake of getting involved with a priest,” said one parishioner.
Another church member is eyeing a “love triangle” angle as the motive for the huge lawsuit: “We heard that Father Elvis is now seeing another woman. And that does not sit well with the former lover, so she is suing the diocese.”
Others were surprised by the news. "This is the first I heard about it and trust me, the choir hears everything," said a church choir member, With reports from NYPOST, Smoking Gun
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JERSEY CITY– Inthe middle of an unpredictable financial future, a majority of Filipino-Americans in New Jersey are gearing up for Tuesday’s historic presidential elections in the hope that the new president could deliver them from total economic collapse.
Though it is expected that the turnout of FilAm voters will reach unprecedented highs, the community is still sharply divided between the two candidates: Senator John McCain of Arizona, and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.
The young college voters, as expected, are for Obama, while the elder Fil- Ams are inclined to vote for McCain.
“This country cannot stand more years of Republican rule. It is time for a new phase–a new wave. Barack Obama will change our nation for the better,” says Angelica, a Fil-Am student of Rutgers University in Newark.
“Obama is too liberal and too dangerous for our country,” counters Vivian, a mother of two and a public school teacher in Bergenfield.
“ Our security is the most important thing, and McCain will provide that security.”
For the young Fil-Ams, Obama’s promise of change resonate better, while McCain’s image as a war hero, somewhat translates to national security to the elder voters.
Some Fil-Ams, however, look deeper into the issue and dissect the things that will affect them directly.
“The issue is tax,” says Chris, a researcher from Jersey City. “Obama will tax more because he wants the government to do things for you. McCain will tax less because he wants you to do it yourself.”
Current surveys indicate that the race is going to be close despite earlier claims that Obama will win by a landslide. With a few more days left, the candidates are rushing to key battleground states to pull of last minute support. On Thursday, Mr. Obama campaigned in Florida, while Mr. McCain worked his way in Ohio.
Even former President Bill Clinton, who was with Mr. Obama in Florida, delivered some stinging jabs at Mr. McCain. President Clinton rebuked Mr. McCain for misleading the voters about Mr. Obama’s tax plan, especially the idea of wealth redistribution, In a 13-minute speech, Mr. Clinton pushed back on a raft of Republican criticism, particularly that Mr. Obama — and Democrats overall — would redistribute wealth in America.
In the closing chapter of the race, Senator McCain has seized on that point as he warns voters about Mr. Obama’s tax policies.
“We paid down the debt, they doubled the national debt. so don’t tell me about redistribution,” Mr. Clinton said, seeking to link Mr. McCain to the Bush administration’s policies.
“What Senator Obama has is a plan that works from the bottom up.” (Leo Lomboy)
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