Palace, US to work on Balangiga bells’ return

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday vowed to work with the United States government for the return of the Balangiga bells seized by American troops as war booty in the early 1900s.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Palace has been informed of the US defense department’s announcement that it intends to return the bells to the Philippines.

“We welcome this development as we look forward to continue working with the United States government in paving the way for the return of the bells to the Philippines,” Roque said in a statement.

The tolling of church bells in Balangiga town, Eastern Samar signaled the assault by Filipino guerrillas against American forces from the 9th US Infantry Regiment that led to the death of 48 US servicemen, an incident now known as the Balangiga massacre. The US military then retaliated by conducting an offensive that sought to turn Samar into a “howling wilderness”—an operation that resulted in the death of more than 2,500 Filipinos.

American soldiers also removed three bells from the town church and took them as war trophies. Two of the bells are now in a US military base in Cheyenne, Wyoming while one is displayed at a museum in South Korea.

In 1994, the Philippines under then president Fidel Ramos requested the US to return the bells, but this was not acted upon by the US government.

During his second State of the Nation Address last year, Duterte called on the US to return the Balangiga bells, saying it was painful for Filipinos to see items that form part of their national heritage to be taken away from them.

The US embassy in Manila announced over the weekend that the US defense department is willing to return the bells to the Philippines. The agency has informed the US Congress of its decision but no specific date has been set for the return of the bells.

Last February, some American lawmakers expressed their opposition to the return of the bells to the Philippines, citing the alleged human rights violations under the administration of President Duterte.

Democratic Rep. James McGovern and Republican Rep. Randy Hultgren, co-chairs of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, said the US defense department should not agree to return the bells until the Philippines makes “clear, measurable efforts to stop extrajudicial killings” in its war on drugs.

Duterte has denied endorsing extrajudicial killings in the crackdown on narcotics but has ordered policemen to shoot drug suspects who pose threat to their safety.

Trude Raizen, US embassy deputy press attaché, said “no specific date has been identified for the return of the bells.

“We’ve received assurances that the bells will be returned to the Catholic church and treated with the respect and honor they deserve. We are aware that the bells of Balangiga have deep significance for a number of people, both in the United States and in the Philippines,” Raizen said.  – With Edith Regalado, Delon Porcalla