Balangiga bells to be in PH by late December

The Philippines will have a special Christmas gift from the United States government with the return of the Balangiga bells which were taken away as war trophies by American soldiers during the Philippine-American War.

Dr. Rolando Borrinaga of the Committee on Historical Research of National Commission for Culture and the Arts on Tuesday said the tentative date of arrival of the bells will be by late December.

Borrinaga said the Balangiga bells will be returned to its home church in Eastern Samar on arrival as originally planned.

“The original campaign is that the bells should be returned in the church right where they belong,” he said in an interview with dzMM.

Borrinaga also urged the public to secure the bells once they arrive in the country to avoid being stolen given their historical value.

Malacañang for its part welcomed the development, but noted that it will not issue further comments until the bells are returned home.

“Given that the possession of the bells have not yet been turned over to the Philippine government, we are withholding any further comment on the matter until the last bell has been properly delivered to the country,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

“In the words of the President himself: ‘It ain’t here until it’s here’,” he added.  /muf

READ: Malacañang welcomes ‘movement’ of Balangiga Bells back to PH