U.S. to return Bell of Bauang, La Union

U.S. to return Bell of Bauang, La Union

Former American Consul General Santiago (Sonny) Busa and wife Ceres Cawagas Busa with LTG Robert (Bobby) and wife Shelly Caslen of West Point Military Academy.
Sonny and Bobby were classmates at West Point.

By Rodel J. Ramos

The Bell of the Church of St. Peter and Paul of the town of Bauang, La Union, Philippines which was taken by the the U.S. Army in 1899 as a booty during the Philippine American War and was brought for storage at the Catholic Church at West Point since 1937 is being returned to La Union, Philippines by order of the Superintendent of West Point, LTG Robert (Bobby) Caslen. The handover ceremony at West Point Military Academy will be sometime in the next few weeks.

This was announced to Santiago (Sonny) Busa, former American Consul General to the Philippines, now retired. Sonny was the keynote speaker at West Point Cadet/Parent banquet of the Class of 2019 with more than 3,500 cadets and families in the audience. It was a standing ovation. Sonny was a classmate of Superintendent Caslen when he was at West Point.

The decision to return the bell was the effort of many others researching the issue and convincing the Superintendent to do the right thing and return it. It was a great time to announce it with a Filipino American dignitary Sonny Busa as their guest in West Point Military Academy and LTG Caslen was glad to do it.

Busa and his wife Ceres standing beside the Bell which was taken from the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Bauang, La Union in 1899 as a booty during the Philippine American War. It was stored at the Catholic Church at West Point since 1937 as a booty of war. Superintendent Robert Caslen
announced its return the Bell to Bauang soon.