Church bells seized by American troops as war trophies are returned to Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago were returned to the Philippines Tuesday. It is a move long demanded by Filipino leaders, including the current president, who is critical of Washington and has moved closer to China.

"It's time for healing, it is time for closure, it is time to look ahead as two nations should with a shared history as allies," said Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana.

U.S. defense officials and the American ambassador handed back the bells of Balangiga to the Philippine Defense Chief in a poignant ceremony at an air force base in the capital Manila, closing a dark episode in the treaty allies' love-hate relationship.

"So on behalf of the United States, it is my great honor to be here at this closing of a painful chapter in our history. The Bells' return reflects the strong bonds and mutual respect between our two nations and our peoples. It demonstrates our determination to honor the past and the sacrifices made together by Filipinos and Americans," said U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, Sung Yong Kim.

American forces took the bells after Filipino villagers killed 48 U.S. troops on central Samar Island in 1901.

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Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte asked the United States last year to return the bells, saying "This is painful for us."

The Philippine defense secretary said during the handover ceremony that it was time for healing and closure.

"The Bells of Balangiga will once again peal. It will still remind the people of Balangiga of what happened in the town square more than a century ago, but we will also look at that history with more understanding and acceptance," said Lorenzana.

With the bitter issue of the bells now resolved, the Philippines ambassador to Washington said he expects the U.S.-Philippine alliance to further strengthen. "More than ever, this is a symbol of the kind of relationship that we have with the United States. It's an evolving relationship. I would like to call it a maturing relationship because we're now at a stage where we, both countries, would like to have mutual respect of our own sovereignty," said Jose Manuel Romualdez.

NBC