Lorenzana says Romualdez convincing Duterte to visit US

December 7, 2018

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday said Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez is convinc President Rodrigo Duterte to visit the US.

"The plan is there.Ambassador Romualdez is still convincing him," Lorenzana said in an ambush interview with reporters in  a forum on Makati City.

"Ambassador Romualdez is here and he is trying to talk to the president to go there next year," he said.

This was asked after the three bells of Balangiga are set to return to country next week after being seized the United States during the Philippine-American War in 1901.

"That (return) will be the closure," he said.

US soldiers took the three bells in Balangiga town in Eastern Samar. One of the three church bells is at the US base in South Korea, while the two others are in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

According to Lorenzana, the bells are set to arrive in Villamor Air Base in Pasay City by December 11 afternoon.

"They will going to unload the bells. They are going to remove from the crate and put on display for people to see," he said.

But Lorenzana said the president is not set to make a speech on that day.

"Initially, they said he will not talk but he will be there," he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS