Philippine President demands US return three bells

President Rodrigo Duterte has called on the United States to return three bells that were taken by its soldiers from a Philippine village more than a century ago.

The two bells are currently on display at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Photo: AP

"Give us back our bells"That Balangiga," AP quoted Mr. Duterte as saying yesterday before the House of Representatives, at an event attended by the US ambassador and other diplomats. "They are part of our national heritage... give them back to us, this hurts us."

"We recognize that the bells of Balangiga have deep meaning to many people, both in the United States and in the Philippines. We will continue to work with our Philippine partners to find a solution," said Molly Koscina, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy, ​​today.

American soldiers took three bells from the village.Balangiga, eastern Philippines in 1901 as war trophies. The Filipinos regard these bells as symbols of their long struggle for independence.

The bells were the signal for the Filipinos to attack American soldiers in the town on September 28, 1901. The attack, which occurred early that morning, left at least 48 American soldiers dead. The Americans occupied the village after taking control of the Philippines as a result of the Spanish-American War.

The two bells are currently on display at the air base.FE Warren in the cityCheyenne, StateWyoming. They are part of a memorial to American soldiers who died in the 1901 Philippine attack. A third is kept by the US military in Korea.

Discussions over the return of the bell have been a persistent theme in US-Philippine relations.

According to VNE