House okays resolution seeking return of Balangiga bells

The House of Representatives has unanimously approved a resolution seeking the return of the Balangiga bells from the United States. The bells were seized by members of the US army in 1901 during the Philippine-American War.

The Lower Chamber’s approval of House resolution 1337 on Tuesday night was made three weeks after US Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim disclosed that there is currently an ongoing effort between Washington and Manila discussing the return of the famous bells.

“We will celebrate the 116 Balangiga Encounter Day tomorrow with President Duterte as guest of honor. The approval last night of House resolution was very timely,” Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, one of the authors of the resolution, said.

HR 1337 expresses the Lower Chamber’s support to the appeal of President Duterte to the US government to return the Balangiga bells that were taken as “trophies of war” by the American military troops in 1901.

“Return the Balangiga Bells. It’s ours. It’s part of our heritage,” the resolution said. It was authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, House Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone and Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza.

US Ambassador Kim earlier said the return of Balangiga bells is “the right thing to do.” He vowed to work with the Philippine government “to come up with the right or the best solution” for the return of the bells.

Evardone had urged the Philippine government “to persevere and take further steps in its diplomatic efforts” to recover the Balangiga bells.

He expressed the great appreciation of the people of Eastern Samar to President Duterte for taking up the cudgels for the return of the three Balangiga bells.

In Sept. 2016, President Duterte first expressed his advocacy for the return of the three Balangiga bells in his speech at a Philippine Air Force event, and reiterated it in his 2017 State of the Nation Address (SONA).