By Leslie Ann Aquino and Christina Hermoso The parishioners and the church of Balangiga in Eastern Samar is ready for the return of its bells, but both have no information about the date of repatriation of the memorial objects to the Philippines. Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III "The physical church of Balangiga is ready for the return of its bells," Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III, mass media and communications head of the Diocese of Borongan, Eastern Samar, said in an interview. He said the church in Balangiga was reconstructed after it was devastated by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013. "It has two belfries. The other one is empty, but awaiting for the return of its bells," said Quitorio. “The return of the Balangiga Bells in an act of the US Congress so we just have to wait and pray for the bells to be finally returned to us,” he said. "Except from what is read in the news, the parish of Balangiga, or the Diocese of Borongan where Balangiga parish belongs, does not have any info regarding the veracity of the November 14 event or any arrangements regarding the bells' return," Quitorio said. According to reports, a ceremony is set to be held Thursday at the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming for the repatriation of the Balangiga bells. This comes months after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis signed documents favoring the return of the historic church bells to the Philippines after receiving the authority from US President Donald Trump through the US National Defense Authorization Act of 2018. President Duterte previously called for the return of the church bells, which were taken during the Philippine-American war. “If that is true, that is a very welcome development, a very positive development,” Quitorio said. He said that the diocese has not received information on the formal turn-over of the bells in Wyoming, which was supposed to take place November 14. Bishop Crispin Varquez of the Diocese of Borongan has also expressed happiness and excitement on the impending return of the Balangiga bells to the country. “I hope that the bells will be returned soon to the St. Lawrence Church in Balangiga where they belong. We will be very happy when the bells are finally returned to the country,” Varquez said over Church-run Radio Veritas. The prelate said that although no one has coordinated with the diocese on the return of the bells, they are grateful to those who have helped in appealing to the United States government for the return of the bells to the country. The Balangiga bells are three church bells taken by the United States Army from the town church of Balangiga in Eastern Samar as war trophies after reprisals following the Balangiga massacre in 1901 during the Philippine-American War. One of the bells is in the possession of the 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Red Cloud based in South Korea, while the two others are at a former base of the 11th Infantry Regiment at F. E. Warren air base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The two church bells in Wyoming will be returned to the country first, to be followed by the one in South Korea. No date has been given for the repatriation of the bells.