Ravelo v. Gonzales
Docket: No. 04-71022
Court: Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; June 29, 2005; Federal Appellate Court
Renato Reyes Ravelo, a Philippine national, seeks judicial review of the Board of Immigration Appeals' denial of his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. The Board affirmed the Immigration Judge's (IJ) decision without opinion. The IJ’s findings are reviewed as the final agency decision. The court has jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b) and ultimately denies Ravelo’s petition. The IJ found substantial evidence supporting the conclusion that Ravelo's testimony about threats and mistreatment was vague and unresponsive. Notably, Ravelo documented only one kidnapping in his declaration but introduced a second kidnapping for the first time during the hearing when faced with discrepancies in his account. This inconsistency raised questions about his credibility, as established in case law. A reasonable factfinder would not be compelled to accept Ravelo’s testimony as credible. Consequently, the petition for review is denied. The decision is not intended for publication and cannot be cited in courts within the circuit, except as per Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.