Sen. Bong Go regards the US ban on Philippine government officials as interference in the internal affairs of the country. #BongGo #Balangigabells

Sen. Bong Go with the three historic church bells of Balangiga. (SBG)

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Saturday said American legislators behind a US Senate bill prohibiting the entry in the US of Philippine government officials involved in the detention of Sen. Leila de Lima should be banned from entering the country.

“I will suggest to President Duterte to ban American legislators from entering our country for interfering in our internal affairs,” Go told reporters covering his participation in the 118th Balangiga Day Commemoration in Balangiga, Eastern Samar on Saturday.

“These senators think they know better than us in governing ourselves,” said Go, referring to US Senators Richard Durbin (Illinois) and Patrick Leahy (Vermont) whose proposed amendments to the 2020 state and foreign operations appropriations bill was recently approved by the US Senate appropriations committee.

“It is an affront to our sovereignty and to our ability to govern ourselves. It unduly pressures our independent courts and disrespects the entire judicial process of the Philippines by questioning its competence,” he added.

Go stressed that De Lima’s detention is in accordance with Philippine laws.

“Sen. Leila de Lima is being detained upon lawful order of an independent court after a careful and thorough determination of her case. Her detention, arising from her involvement in illegal drugs, was affirmed by no less than the Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines.”

Meanwhile, Go called the Balangiga event a double celebration as it remembers for the first time the massacre of Filipinos by American soldiers 117 years ago in the presence of the town’s historic church bells.

“Doble po ang selebrasyon natin ngayon dahil ito ang kauna-unahang Balangiga Encounter Day Commemoration na kapiling na natin ang mga makasaysayang Balangiga bells,” said Go.

For decades, the Philippine government had consistently asked the United States to return the historical artifacts, which were taken by American soldiers as “spoils of war” from the Balangiga church in 1901.

During his 2017 State of the Nation address, President Rodrigo Duterte again demanded the return of the bells. Calling it as a move “to forge stronger friendship with the Philippines”, the US agreed to return the bells which returned home in December last year.

The Balangiga encounter was a successful surprise attack carried out by Filipino fighters against the US troops during the Philippine-American War. It is considered by historians as one of the greatest displays of the bravery of the Filipinos fighting for their freedom.

In his message, the senator said that the victory of Filipinos in Balangiga is a testament to their bravery, dignity and love of country.

“Sa araw na ito, ipinamalas ng ating mga ninuno sa Balangiga ang kanilang katapangan upang ipaglaban ang ating kalayaan at kasarinlan mula sa mga Amerikano,” Go said.

“Matagal mang tapos na ang digmaan at malaya na tayo mula sa ating mga mananakop, sana po ay patuloy na magsilbing inspirasyon sa atin ang engkwentro sa Balangiga. Pruweba po ito ng katapangan at karangalan ng ating lahing Pilipino,” he added.