It would've taken back-channel efforts by Filipino and American groups
at least another 1-1/2 decades to make progress on the return of the
infamous Balangiga Bells hadn't the combination of Pres. Rodrigo Roa
Duterte and Pres. Donald Trump happened. The supposed lobbying being
done by them in the U.S. since the time of Pres. Ramos couldn't have
even made a dent on the powerful U.S. War Veterans'
lobbying to let them remain in U.S. hands.
Only Pres. Duterte and Pres. Trump, both known for their no-nonsense
and strong leadership could have made such a remarkably difficult feat
possible. Even Presidents Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo, and Aquino couldn't
have possibly overcome the influential U.S. War Veterans' efforts in any
of the previous U.S. administrations - Clinton, Bush and Obama.
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