WOMAN CALLED ‘WELL-TRAINED’ BY DU30 MAKES SELF SCARCE
By Zena Magto, Ador Vincent S. Mayol and Morexette Erram @inquirervisayas NAGA CITY, CEBU— Where is she?
The outspoken woman who personally appealed to President Duterte to stop quarrying in Naga City, south Cebu, following the massive landslide on Sept. 21 has not returned to the evacuation center for landslide victims and her home for days now.
Neighbors and friends of Shiela Eballe, 36, of Barangay Tinaan, Naga City, said they had no idea where she was.
Her stepfather, Emilio Librea, said Eballe also failed to return home since speaking with the President during Mr. Duterte’s visit to the city.
Librea said he last talked on the phone with Eballe after seeing her on TV talking to Mr. Duterte.
Worries
“We are worried because what she did in complaining to the President was very risky,” Librea said.
A neighbor, who requested anonymity, said Eballe’s friends were worried for her.
A report published by UCANews, an independent Catholic Asian news organization, said Eballe sought the help of environmental group Pusyon Kinaiyahan and a religious organization after receiving threats for expressing her sentiments before the President.
“She needs protection because of threats she is facing for speaking the truth,” said Takoy Jakosalem, an Augustinian Recollect brother, in the report.
In a speech at the Enan Chiong Activity Center during his visit to Naga on Sept. 21, Mr. Duterte asked evacuees to air their complaints.
‘Look at your nails’
Eballe bravely went onstage, faced Mr. Duterte and told him she and her neighbors wanted a stop to quarrying.
“We don’t need food. What we need is for the quarry to stop because I believe if the people would just work, we’d still manage to eat,” she said in front of the President.
With the President looking at her intently, Eballe continued speaking and blamed the tragedy on quarrying.
But before she finished speaking, Mr. Duterte said: “I believe what you say. But look at your nails. I guess you were at the beauty parlor when the landslide happened.”
When Eballe left the stage, the President went on to say “She’s well-trained by the….”
He then asked the crowd: “Are there any New People’s Army (NPA) [members] here?”
Make sure that no one is supporting the NPA, he said, as he went on to rant against communist rebels.
No answer
Some evacuees expressed disappointment that Mr. Duterte did not reply directly to Eballe’s statements.
“He (the President) didn’t answer the question,” said Maritess Panilag, one of those who lost their homes in the landslide.
She said Eballe was right to blame quarrying by Apo Land and Quarry Corp. in Naga City as the cause of the landslide.
“We’ve been living in the place for many years,” said Panilag.
“We don’t feel safe with that quarry around,” she added.