It is not the bells, but the story of Balangiga that matters

President Duterte’s demand for the return of the Balangiga bells has revived an issue when Americans took over the Philippines. The US has not returned the bells after more than a century since the war. Both Americans and Filipinos claim these bells are trophies of war.

“Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage.” Duterte said in his second SONA.

The US Embassy replied “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. We will continue to work with our Filipino partners to find a resolution.” The bells were used to signal the Filipino attack on American soldiers eating their breakfast.

There is a book entitled “The Ordeal of Samar,” by Joseph L. Schott.  A review by Thomas Connell wrote that troops were sent there to civilize the natives because Samar was a hotbed of rebel activity.

“On Sunday morning, Sept. 28, 1901, some 500 Filipino rebels who had slowly gathered inside the church, some dressed in women’s clothing, waited for the signal to attack. While the US troopers were having breakfast, police chief Sanchez grabbed a sentry’s rifle and fired it, signaling the insurgents to begin their assault on the garrison. The bells rang and the church doors burst open, with screaming rebels brandishing bolos and other improvised weapons such as picks and shovels. It was combat at close quarters; bolos against Krag rifles. The only advantage held by the rebels was the element of surprise,” wrote Ramon Farolan in a column.

“Reprisal was swift in coming. First on the scene was Company “G,” also of the Ninth Infantry, stationed at Basey. The force entered Balangiga, firing away with Gatling machine guns and light cannon. Twenty natives captured at the edge of the town were brought to the plaza and executed. All houses were torched to the ground.

The brigade was headed by Brig. Gen. Jacob Smith. who commanded“I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn, the more you kill and burn the better you will please me. In his handwriting were the words “The interior of Samar must be made a howling wilderness.”

The Americans argued that the bells were part of the spoils of war, paid for with the blood of American soldiers. We, too, paid a terrible price for a war not of our own making. Theirs was a war of conquest; ours was a fight for freedom. That is the story of the bells of Balangiga. Whether or not the US returns the bells has become moot. The event is about how the Philippines was colonized and how the poor townsfolk of Balangiga fought back. The bells are the symbol of one of the bloodiest events of America’s colonialism of the Philippines.

“In the mean time some of the liberal left wing extremist newspapers back home started a series of anti-military articles stating that the military was out of control and was randomly executing peaceful Filipino citizens.”

Many careers were ruined as a result of this political lynch mob spurred on by the Democrats back home. There is a lot of action taking place in this book and one would recognize many of the players like; Presidents Mckinley, Roosevelt and Taft, Army Generals Chaffee and Smith and USMC Captains Bears and Porter and many others. The political intrigue reminds one of today’s political arena even though this story took place over one hundred years ago. The reader might also find it interesting that “water boarding” was used by the US Army in this story. “ according to an American review.

The author writes about the ordeal of the American soldiers trying to clean Samar of insurrectos.

Because the author was an American the purpose of the story was to impart the experiences of the American soldiers. 

 I do not know if a book has been written by a Filipino. “I mean, this is about Samar, would it perfectly make sense if a Filipino would write about it? Anyway, the book was based on the court-martial records and after reading it, it was fair and objective enough,” the review continues.

“The Ordeal of Samar” talked more of the hardships of the American soldiers who had to go through in order to clear Samar of the members of the Katipunan. It also exposed the horrors, torture and deaths of the Filipino insurrectos in the hands of the Americans.

In short, some of the American officers during that time did go beyond and had taken advantage of their position. They viewed Filipinos as a group of people to be subdued and they thought that all means were applicable. But in fairness to Major Waller who led the troops, he only acted in line of what he has ordered or in accordance of his duty. He was not involved in any torture. He lost a few of his men in the Samar campaign. I think the failure and controversy surrounding the Samar campaign, the execution of 11 natives by firing squad, the torture and other indiscretions by the American soldiers to eventually give the Philippines its independence.”

To me, Americans committed a propaganda blunder by not returning the bells. They could have done so earlier and be done with it but keeping it only reminds Filipinos of American infamy. It is the story that has become historical with a worldwide audience. The Americans might have taken over Balangiga and taken the bells but it is not something to be proud about. To Filipinos this is a story of courage and bravery against all odds.