The return of the famed Balangiga bells proves President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to deliver his promises to the people, former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go said.
“Isa po ito sa kanyang pinanawagan noong last State of the Nation Address last July na darating na talaga, nang pinabalik ito ni Pangulong Duterte. What is due to us so ibabalik po ito sa Samar at mismong si Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte ang magbabalik nito sa Sabado,” Go said in an ambush interview when he visited fire victims in Tondo recently.
The former presidential aide said it was through the sheer political will of President Duterte that the country managed to successfully reclaim the bells of Balangiga from the Americans.
Several attempts in the past to reclaim the bells have failed.
However, the former Palace official said the President is not interested in who would get credit for bringing the bells back.
“Duterte is not interested in who would get credit for bringing the bells back.”
“Si Pangulong Duterte naman po ay never nakipag-agawan ng credit ‘yan kung sino ang nag trabaho nito, tignan n’yo po ‘yung mga proyekto n’ya walang nakalagay na pangalan n’ya dahil para sa kanya trabaho lang s’ya,” Go said.
“So ito namang nangyari sa Balangiga bells ang pagbabalik po nito ay effort po ni Pangulong Duterte pero ayaw n’ya po kunin ang credit nito, ang importante po ay naibalik sa Pilipinas at naibalik sa Pilipino,” he added.
Go bared that he will accompany the President to Samar as the Chief Executive will personally see the delivery of the bells back to their rightful place after 117 years and turn them over to local officials.
“Nag-usap na po kami kagabi, we decided to go to Samar to bring the bells,” he said.
The Balangiga bells gained fame after being taken by American soldiers in 1901 as war trophies during the Philippine-American war.
The Balangiga bells gained fame after by American soldiers in 1901 as war trophies during the Philippine-American war.
