The bells of Balangiga and Harry Thomas

We join the nation in mourning the death of our soldiers, policemen and civilians in the continuing conflict in Zamboanga City. Notwithstanding official announcements of “mission accomplished,” let me say, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”

Somehow I am reminded of a similar announcement made by President George W. Bush on board the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, off the coast of San Diego. Bush landed dramatically on the Lincoln in a flight suit under a huge banner that read “Mission Accomplished.” He then proceeded to announce to the world the end of combat operations in Iraq. We all know now that it was just beginning. America would go on to lose more than 4,000 of its men and women after this announcement, along with countless Iraqi lives. The misery of Iraq continues to this day.

The Zamboanga crisis is not just a hostage-taking situation that may have been resolved. It is an attack on the national sovereignty, a test of our willingness to pay the price that every self-respecting country must pay in order to uphold its place in the community of nations.

I would not be surprised if the clashes in Zamboanga continue up to and even during the visit of US President Barack Obama. That is the kind of world attention that Nur Misuari craves for. Unless the government is willing to take stronger and more decisive measures, which to my mind should have been done right from the beginning, the Obama visit is going to showcase our weakness as a state.

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Last Saturday was the 112th anniversary of the attack by Filipino guerrillas on a US garrison at Balangiga, Eastern Samar. On Sept. 28, 1901, a Sunday morning, some 500 Filipino freedom fighters armed primarily with bolos and other improvised weapons swooped down on 74 officers and men of “C” Company, 9th US Infantry just as the troops were having breakfast. It was combat at close quarters; bolos against Krag rifles. Forty-eight Americans were killed including their company commander, Capt. Thomas W. Connell, a lanky West Pointer who was stabbed to death while reading his breviary.

Retaliation was swift. “G” Company, also of the 9th Infantry stationed a few miles away, entered Balangiga with machine guns and cannon. Twenty captured natives were brought to the town plaza and executed. All houses were torched to the ground.

A special unit—the Sixth Separate Brigade—was created to handle the Samar problem. The brigade was headed by Brig. Gen. Jacob Smith. Under him was a Marine battalion led by Maj. Littleton Waller. Smith barked out his orders: “I want no prisoners. I want you to kill and burn, the more you kill and burn, the better you will please me. I want all persons (10 years and older) killed who are capable of bearing arms against the United States.” His handwritten instructions were: “Samar must be made a howling wilderness.” The message earned him the nickname “Howling Wilderness” Smith. Waller proceeded to carry out his instructions and became known as the “Butcher of Samar.”

On March 17, 1902, barely six months after the Balangiga incident, Major Waller was court-martialed for murder in violation of the 58th Article of War. After an 18-day trial, the court voted 11-2 for acquittal, but his reputation lived on and cost him a shot at the post of Marine Corps commandant.

In April 1902, General Smith was court-martialed on the charge of “conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline.” He was convicted and forced to retire from the active list.

US forces took three bells from the Church of Balangiga and brought them back to the United States as war trophies. Today, two of the bells are on display at Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. The third is with the 9th US Infantry Regiment at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea.

President Obama is scheduled to visit the Philippines next month. If there exists such a thing as “special relations” between the United States and the Philippines, let it be expressed not in terms of promises of support and cooperation, or of pledges of material assistance, but in the return of the bells to their rightful owners.

It is time for an act of plunder, committed in the aftermath of conflict between native fighters engaged in hostilities with foreign invaders, to be rectified by the return of the bells. The bells belong to the Filipino people, symbols of our fight for freedom and a precious component of the National Heritage.

Ambassador Harry Thomas is ending his tour of duty in the Philippines soon. He will be returning to the United States and taking with him one of our belles. Should he be instrumental in the return of the bells during the Obama visit, Thomas will be remembered by a grateful nation not as the first black US envoy to the country, but as the man, who after more than a century brought about the return of the bells to this country.

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The Philippine Military Academy lost three young graduates in the three weeks of fighting in Zamboanga.

The first was 1st Lt. John Kristopher Rama, who graduated with Class of 2008. A platoon leader with a Light Reaction Company of the Philippine Army, he was killed during a clearing operation in the village of Santa Barbara.

The second casualty on Day 15 of the siege was 2nd Lt. Florencio Meneses, Class of 2011 and assigned with the 7th Scout Ranger Company. He was initially wounded in the abdomen in a firefight also in Santa Barbara, but later died in the hospital.

The third officer to be killed in battle with the MNLF was 1st Lt. Francis Damian, Class of 2007. His father is retired Brig. Gen. Roberto Damian, Class of 1979, while his widow, Navy Lt. Leslie Campos, belongs to Class of 2007.

When I visited Camp Aguinaldo last Thursday, I noticed that the flag in front of the GHQ building was not at half-mast. I mentioned to a senior officer on the staff of Gen. Emmanuel Bautista that when former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes took his own life amidst a corruption scandal in the AFP, the flag was lowered to half-mast. Surely the deaths of three young officers killed in combat in defense of their country deserve the same respect from the organization. I was told “walang directive” to lower the flag, which explains why it remained at full-mast. Is it necessary for these actions to be referred all the way to the chief of staff?

The following day I visited Camp Aguinaldo once more—and the Philippine flag was at half-mast.