Statement by United States Ambassador Sung Kim on December 11, 2018
This morning, a U.S. Air Force plane bearing three historic bells from San Lorenzo de Martir Church in Balangiga will land at Villamor Air Force Base. These bells were taken 117 years ago; later today it will be my honor to return them. Their safe return is thanks to the efforts of U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, supported by President Trump, and is driven by respect for the Philippines, our friend, partner, and ally.
It has been a long road home for these bells, which were caught up in the aftermath of the tragic conflict that raged across this archipelago at the turn of the last century. The U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Regiment, whose C Company was garrisoned at Balangiga returned with one of the bells to its home garrison in Sackets Harbor, New York. This bell followed the Regiment to subsequent assignments, most recently residing at a U.S. Army base in South Korea. The two other bells were sent to Camp D.A. Russell in Cheyenne, Wyoming with the 11th Infantry Regiment, where the bells were displayed as part of a memorial to fallen U.S. service members.
The turning point in this century-long saga came in October of this past year during the 2017 ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting in Clark. Secretary Mattis met with Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana to discuss security cooperation and opportunities to further strengthen the U.S.-Philippine defense relationship. At this meeting, SND Lorenzana raised the issue of the “Balangiga Bells.” Later that day, in a meeting with President Duterte, Secretary Mattis stated definitively that it would be his personal initiative to find a way to return these religious artifacts. In the Secretary’s words, “all wars end,” and it was time to heal a wound that had strained the U.S.-Philippines relationship for too long. Following this important meeting, I maintained direct communication with the Secretary and my colleagues and I worked with his outstanding staff to ensure the bells’ swift return.
In Washington, Secretary Mattis sought legislation that would make it legally permissible to return the bells. Members of Congress and senior officials in the Department of State and National Security Council endorsed returning the bells. The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars both passed national resolutions supporting the bells’ return. These unambiguous expressions of support clearly demonstrate the special bond veterans and the U.S. public share with the Philippine people.
