By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — After being taken by US troops as war booties during the Philippine-American war, the return of the Balangiga Bells to its home is proof that Filipinos will always assert their sovereignty, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark after the church bells were formally received by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana from US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Yong Kim at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
According to Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, the Balangiga Bells will be transported to the local parish of Balangiga in Eastern Samar where it is expected to arrive on December 15.
“As we recall this dark page of our history, let the world know that our race will not allow itself to be subjugated by any foreign power and we Filipinos will always assert our sovereignty against those who will attempt to subvert it,” Panelo said in a statement.
Panelo credited, among others, the “strong political will” of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for pushing for the return of the church bells which he described as “a watershed in our nation’s history.”
“Many have tried but it is our President’s strong political will and unquestionable dedication in asserting the rights of our country and its people which significantly contributed to this event coming into fruition,” Panelo said.
He also expressed hope that the Balangiga Bells will become constant reminders of our Filipinos’ “gallantry, heroism, and strong sense of national pride.”
Panelo, meanwhile, thanked both Philippine and United States stakeholders who have helped make the return of the bells possible, noting that it has further strengthened the friendship between the two countries.
“We express our sincerest gratitude to all stakeholders from both the Philippines and the United States who worked tirelessly and selflessly for the return of the bells,” Panelo said.
“This unprecedented gesture is well appreciated and will surely forge a stronger and more enduring relationship between the two long-time allies and friends as we finally close a tragic chapter in the two countries’ shared history,” he added.
Duterte will be present during the turnover of the Balangiga Bells to town officials in Balangiga, Eastern Samar on Saturday.
He has repeatedly sought for the return of the three church bells including during his second State of the Nation Address in 2017.
The return of the bells is a result of the successful high-level bilateral talks between Lorenzana and US Department of Defense Secretary James Mattis.
Prior to its return to the Philippines, two of the three bells used to be enshrined at Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming while the third bell was at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea.
