Lawmakers seek House probe of activist’s ‘torture’

MANILA, Philippines — United States immigration agents allegedly tortured activist Jerome Succor Aba, whom they detained upon arrival at the San Francisco Airport on April 17, according to leftist party-list lawmakers.

In endorsing Resolution No. 1827 yesterday, the Makabayan bloc – among them Reps. Carlos Zarate, Antonio Tinio, France Castro, Ariel Casilao and Sarah Jane Elago – asked the House of Representatives to inquire into Aba’s detention and alleged torture.

They said Aba, who was to speak in the US on the human rights situation here, was taken to the Homeland Security office at the airport where he and his belongings were thoroughly searched. 

“Later, his belongings, including his cell phone and bags, were confiscated from him. He was also handcuffed,” they said.

“What followed next was a harrowing, exhausting 12 hours of harsh interrogation by different Homeland Security and US Customs Border and Protection agents in different offices at the San Francisco airport complex. During this torturous interrogation, Aba was denied food, sleep and even his request to call a lawyer to assist him,” they said.

The Filipino activist was repeatedly asked about the purpose of his trip. He answered that he was invited by religious and human rights groups to speak about human rights and peace issues in the Philippines.

“Despite his truthful answer, the US agents were forcing him  to admit that he is a ‘terrorist’ or a ‘communist,’ at some instances showing him photographs where he was with MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) chief peace negotiator Mohagher Igbal and former House deputy minority leader and Bayan Muna chairman Satur Ocampo,” the Makabayan lawmakers said.

He was also repeatedly asked about his views on the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration and the US policy in the Philippines, they said.  

“At one point in his interrogation, Aba was made to strip naked in front of a large industrial fan inside an air conditioned room. While being continuously interrogated, he insisted that he is entitled to a lawyer under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but his pleas were all dismissed by the US agents,” they said.

They added that after 24 hours in detention, Aba was asked if he wanted to eat. He told agents that he being a Muslim, he does not eat pork but was given a ham sandwich. He had to ask for food from fellow detainees to relieve his hunger.

The lawmakers said a certain Lopez, the most aggressive interrogator, “threatened to shoot Aba, who he accused of being an Afghan war veteran.”

“At one point, while left alone in the interrogation room, the agents placed a hand gun, a cell phone and a grenade beside Aba that he did not touch at all, which only angered the agents. Aba recalled the other agents as Reyes, Witto, Nguyen, Grass and Tung, among others,” they said.

They claimed that the Muslim activitist was asked to sign a blank paper sheet of paper that was to be used as proof that he was not tortured. A videotaped interview was also taken of him saying he was not abused. 

He was later allowed to speak to a Philippine consular officer. He was subsequently deported, arriving here on April 20.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Aba was already subjected to intense grilling by immigration before he was allowed to leave for the US. He had a 10-year multiple-entry visa given by the US embassy last March 27.