Christmas bells for Balangiga

It was at a closed-door meeting which I attended during the October 2017 ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Conference hosted by the Philippines in Clark, Pampanga that President Duterte took up the Balangiga Bells with US Defense Secretary James Mattis. 

Secretary Mattis very clearly told the President that he will do what needs to be done to ensure the return of the bells. The US Defense Secretary has a reputation of being a man of his word. True enough – as people close to him say – when the secretary makes a commitment, he just slices through obstacles and gets things done. No wonder the US Marine Corps general is highly respected at the Pentagon as well as within the Washington diplomatic circle. 

If anything, President Duterte’s impassioned speech at his second State of the Nation Address in July 2017 for the return of the bells became the catalyst for renewed and strengthened awareness about these historic bells.

Our meetings and engagements with key officials in Washington, D.C. invariably touched on the return of the bells – a symbolic gesture underscoring the shared history between the US and the Philippines. It was clearly understood by both our countries that their return will usher in a renewed era of friendship and mutual respect. 

Our trip to Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming was undoubtedly historic. I was extremely proud to represent the president and the Filipino people during the turnover ceremony with Secretary Mattis (hopefully we’ll have these historic photos featured in “This Week on PeopleAsia” at the Allure section of the Philippine STAR next Sunday). 

“In returning the Bells of Balangiga to our ally and our friend – the Philippines – we pick up our generation’s responsibility to deepen the respect between our peoples,” Secretary Mattis said, stressing his confidence that “America’s ironclad alliance with the Philippines is stronger than ever.” 

A veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the former general recognizes the critical importance of alliances, saying during his confirmation hearing – “History is clear… Nations with strong allies thrive, and those without them wither.” 

The Balangiga Bells’ journey back home started over two decades ago during the time of former Philippine Ambassador to Washington Raul Rabe in 1996, with many groups that include US veterans, the Catholic Church’s Diocese in Borongan in Samar, private individuals and organizations such as the US-Philippines Society and countless Filipinos becoming the moving force, working together to overcome obstacles. 

Over four million US veterans lobbied for the return of the bells because “it is the right thing to do,” with only a handful of veterans mostly from Wyoming opposing moves to repatriate the bells to the Philippines. One of those who worked tirelessly is Pampanga-based retired US Navy captain Dennis Wright who solicited support from US congressmen and urged fellow veterans to lobby for the return of the bells. 

There was also retired US Navy captain Brian Buzzell who sits on the board of the US-Philippines Society and was stationed in the Philippines as representative of the Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Command; and retired Rear Admiral Dan McKinnon who was instrumental in the return of the San Pedro bell of La Union that was also taken by American soldiers.

But the ones who carried the bells through the whole nine yards, so to speak, are Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Joseph Felter and American multi-millionaire businessman Henry B. Howard who also happens to be our honorary consul in Florida.

Henry, an old friend of mine from 20 years ago, went to Xavier University High School in Cagayan de Oro as an exchange student and American Field Service Scholar when he was 17, living with the family of former senator Nene Pimentel whom he fondly calls his “Tatay.” 

While in Mindanao, Henry met then-Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and they have become personal friends. In 2001, Henry put up a scholarship program in Xavier University for poor students from Mindanao, shouldering their tuition, dormitory fees, food expenses, uniforms plus transportation for the students’ annual visits to their parents.  

Henry Howard played a major role in the return of the bells, using his personal resources together with Deputy Assistant Secretary Felter, a retired US Army colonel who served as US military attaché in the Philippines. Henry kept me abreast of the developments along the way and continually updated me on the progress of his efforts. 

A critical piece of legislation was the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prevented the return of “war memorial objects” to a foreign entity or government without Congressional authorization, which expired in September 2017. Henry Howard’s team lobbied hard, as a provision in the new 2018 NDAA stated that the bells may only be transferred if the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that their transfer is in the national security interest of the US, that appropriate steps are taken to preserve the history of the veterans associated with the bells, and that consultations with local communities in Wyoming have been done. 

In August 2017, Secretary Mattis notified Congress that the Defense Department intends to return the bells to the church in Balangiga – after which a 90-day period was observed to see if there are objections or comments from Congress. 

With God’s grace, Christmas in Balangiga will have the bells ringing again sooner than soon. Balangiga could become the center of tourist attraction that would create jobs. But more importantly, the bells should remind us that our friendship with the United States remains stronger than ever with the sovereignty of each nation recognized and respected.

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