Kin claims leader of Balangiga attack refused to talk about surprise assault

The granddaughter of the captain who led the surprise attack against American soldiers in the Balangiga town of Eastern Samar on September 28, 1901 claimed her grandfather prohibited her from asking about the Balangiga encounter.

Eulogia Abanador Amano, grandchild of Captain Valeriano Abanador, said in an interview on News To Go that memories of her grandfather became once more vivid upon the return of the Balangiga bells to the country on Tuesday.

"I'm extremely happy, masayang-masaya ako, pero parang naiisip, naaalala ko na buhay pa si Apoy Bali, si Lolo Bali," Amano said of her grandfather.

"Oo naluluha ako talaga. Alam ko na makikita na namin 'yung mga bells. Kasi 'yung mga bells, parang sila talaga ang alaala namin sa aming lolo at sa iba pang mga sumali doon sa encounter," she added.

Amano recalled that Captain Abanador used to look after her and his other grandchildren while growing up.

However, when asked about the Balangiga massacre, she said Captain Abanador refused to talk about it.

"Ang sabi niya sa akin, gumagano'n 'yung hintuturong daliri niya (waving the finger), sinasabi sa akin na 'wag kayong maingay, wag kang magpakuwento,' 'yun lagi. Until now I am wondering why he had always said that to me, until now I don’t know what his reason was."

Amano also remembered Captain Abanador teaching them values for them to be better people when they grow up.

"Minsan nagsasabi siya sa amin ng mga magagandang asal na dapat naming sundin at isagawa para maging mababait na bata kami hanggang sa paglaki namin, mga mabubuting tao kami."

The granddaughter said she was "very sentimental" of the return of the bells to their town.

During the attack, Filipinos killed 48 soldiers from the American camp.

The Americans avenged the death of the comrades, killing thousands of Filipinos in Eastern Samar and seizing the three bells in Balangiga town.

Two of the bells were then displayed at a US air base in Wyoming, while the third bell was displayed at a museum at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea.

The U.S. government said the return became possible after the authorization act that prohibits the return of war memorial items expired.

The Balangiga bells arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Tutesday morning. — Jamil Santos/MDM, GMA News