It has been a year and a half since her daughter Sherlyn’s disappearance.  Still, Linda Cadapan had not lost hope. She had been through hell and back, looking for Sherlyn in army and police camps, joining mass rallies and prayer vigils, speaking at forums, taking to reporters, politicians, and anybody who cared to listen.

“I never imagined that my life will turn out this way, but I am here. I will continue my search for Sherlyn,” she said.

When Sherlyn, fellow UP student Karen Empeno and farmer Manuel Merino disappeared on June 24, 2006, Linda, together with Karen’s mother Connie Empeno, sought Karapatan’s help.  Both mothers knew of their daughters’ activism—as volunteers for Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (AMB) –but had little knowledge of their politics.

Immediately, Erlinda had to learn to speak publicly about her daughter. She also had to learn about the human rights situation in the country.  Overnight, from being a small entrepreneur in Los Banos, Erlinda became a speaker for the cause of desaparecidos. 

Though she initially did it to look for her daughter, now she has come embrace human rights advocacy.

“While we were looking (for Sherlyn), I came to understand what the activists are fighting for.  They are not bad people. What they say are true and they do what the government fails to do in the countryside,” she explained.