President Duterte calls US to return Balangiga bells

Photo courtesy of theFilam.net

MANILA, July 24 — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called on the United States (US) to return to the country the bells of the Balangiga church, which were seized by the US soldiers during the Philippine-American war in 1901.

“I say today give us back those Balangiga bells, they are ours, they belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage. Isauli naman ninyo, masakit yun sa amin. (Return those to us, it is painful for us),” the President said in his second State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) delivered at the Batasang Pambansa.

President Duterte noted those bells were “reminders of the gallantry and heroism” of a group of Filipino villagers who defended Samar island from American colonizers and “sacrificed their lives in the process.”

He recalled that the 1901 attack claimed the lives of 48 American officers and men, and 28 Filipinos. It also wounded 22 Filipinos. (Leslie D. Venzon/PNA)#DuterteSONA2017

Popular

WALANG PASOK: Class suspensions for July 4 due to heavy rains

Classes in the following areas have been suspended on Friday, July 4, due to the impact of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and the...

PBBM to study DILG Sec. Remulla’s request to declare class suspensions

By Brian Campued Malacañang on Thursday assured Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jonvic Remulla that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will...

WALANG PASOK: Class suspensions for July 3 due to inclement weather

Classes in the following areas have been suspended on Thursday, July 3, due to the impact of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and the...

Palace reacts to China’s ban on ex-Sen. Tolentino, former Pres. spox Roque statement; issues updates on probe of ‘missing sabungeros’

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet At the Palace press briefing held this Wednesday, July 2, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro...