LOOK: Balangiga town all set for church bells’ return

INQUIRER.net photo / Darryl John Esguerra

BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar—Residents, along with local and church officials of this town, are all set for the official homecoming of the their church bells after 117 years.

INQUIRER.net photo / Darryl John Esguerra

Preparations are already polished for the return of the town’s three iconic church bells, which were forcibly taken away as war trophies by American soldiers during the Filipino-American War.

INQUIRER.net photo / Darryl John Esguerra

The town plaza, where a program for the repatriation of the bells scheduled later at 3 p.m., is already filled with Balangiga townfolks.

INQUIRER.net photo / Darryl John Esguerra

The handover rites will be led by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.

INQUIRER.net photo / Darryl John Esguerra

The President will receive from US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Yong Kim the Transfer Certificate of the Balangiga Bells later before turning it over to local and church officials here. /jpv